Dr. Sumana Chakravarty
Senior Principal Scientist, Applied Biology, CSIR-IICT, Hyderabad
Email: sumana98@gmail.com; sumanachak@iict.res.in
Dear friends,
When we talk about health, we often focus solely on our “physical wellbeing”. However, true health encompasses emotional, mental, and physical aspects. Healthcare aims to maintain a person's health in all these vital domains, but the “mental” aspect is frequently overlooked. Despite advances in biomedical science, many of us believe we are well informed about health and healthy living. But are we really?
How many of us consider mental health as an integral part of overall wellbeing? The brain, our most complex organ, has a unique structure and functions intricately. It is composed of lipids, proteins, carbohydrates (mainly glucose for energy), and other natural chemicals essential for its proper functioning. Mental illness arises when there is a physical condition in the brain that interferes with thinking, behavior, energy, or emotions, making daily tasks difficult. These conditions often result from various types of chemical imbalances, each specific to different diseases. Anxiety, depression, stress, hyperactivity, and other extreme emotions can emerge from such imbalances, leading to serious mental or mood disorders. These include Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Bipolar Disorder, Cyclothymia, Hypomania, Schizophrenia, Dysthymia, Personality Disorders, and many others. According to the World Health Organization, MDD is expected to be the leading cause of disease burden worldwide by 2030, after being ranked third globally in 2008. Individuals with MDD experience persistently low or depressed mood, decreased interest in pleasurable activities, feelings of guilt or worthlessness, lethargy, difficulty concentrating, changes in appetite, psychomotor retardation or agitation, sleep disturbances, and even suicidal thoughts.
To advance our understanding of mental health disorders, researchers use animal models to mimic human conditions, as direct experimentation on humans is ethically prohibited. Stress is a common link to most behavioral disorders, so we create stressful situations for animals that are analogous to human stressors, which can eventually lead to depression [see Figure 1, left]. One major limitation of animal models is that animals cannot communicate verbally, and we lack the ability to fully decode their facial expressions. To overcome this, we conduct a series of behavioral tests and record their responses, correlating them with human expressions [see Figure 1, right]. After evaluating these responses through behavioral assays with the help of specific software, we identify depressed male and female animals. In the laboratory, we analyze the brains of these depressed mice and compare them with those of normal mice.
This research allows us to understand the molecular changes that occur in the brain during depression, including sex differences in brain function. It is important to note that sex-specific differences in brain functioning are well documented. With this knowledge, we can design better treatments for depression in the future. Honestly, studies reveal that stigma against mental illness remains strong, largely due to media stereotypes and a lack of understanding. Although public perception of mental illness has improved over the past few decades, people still attach negative stigmas to mental health conditions far more frequently than they do to other diseases and disabilities like cancer, diabetes, or heart disease.
Figure 1: Experimentally created stressful situations for mice to mimic human stressors [left]. Different behavioral responses recorded for corresponding human behavioral expressions [right] to assess the mental status of the diseased animal.
To those of you who are suffering from depression, I want to say: “You are worthy of happiness and peace of mind” and “There is no shame in seeking help for your mental health.”
And to our dear friends who, knowingly or unknowingly, say the wrong things to people struggling with mental health issues:
Please don’t use phrases like "Are you mental/insane/crazy?" or "Are you taking medicines?"
If someone has a mental health issue, it must be acknowledged, regardless of what others say, so that it can be addressed promptly. Please listen to them.
We should not be ashamed to visit a psychotherapist or psychiatrist. Please encourage those in need to seek help by reminding them that taking medication or seeking therapy is nothing to be ashamed of.
Together, we can break the stigma and create a more supportive environment for mental health.
