Depression Models: Bite Sci-zed

Could fruit flies be a new model for depression?

Sources:

[ltericdavis]

I have depression and whenever I try to research about it it makes me depressed.Thinking about depression usually triggers it. But I was able to watch this and learn about my condition without feeling helpless. Thank you.
But considering it was about torturing rats to induce depression, I don't feel very good about myself as a person for that.

[The_Mendoza]

I'm grateful for the way you handled this topic. More than the ethics of genetic privacy or de-extinction, this is a sensitive topic. I think you handled it with compassion and a clear head while still maintaining your enthusiasm for science. The result for me was educational without strong emotions, which I think is an impressive accomplishment.

[manthasagittarius]

Alex, I think you will find that depression in male drosophila is under-reported. They are socialized from an early age to mask dysphoria and not to talk about it. They do sometimes compensate with increased use of controlled substances, however, so check their hip flasks.

[TheNerdReport]

Hey Alex,

I really like the topics that you've chosen for your last few videos. Admittedly, they have left me with more questions than answers but I'm okay with that. These are important and thought provoking subjects. Keep them coming. :)

[anniek]

Do you maybe have the links or names of these papers?

[AzKam]

Depression is really hard to measure though, especially in humans. With us you got loads of different types of depression. Physical depression (such as excess heat exposure, like with the files) is one thing, mental/psychological depression (eg loss of a loved one, financial struggles, etc) is something totally different I think.

[GozerB]

Recently read an interesting study on depression. The data suggests that depression is related to poor communication between brain cells rather than serotonin being too low or oxidized too fast. SSRIs may just be working as a megaphone for you nervous system. Any way, thought it was interesting. Loved the video, as usual. :-)

[TheLanathay]

I wonder if the rats or flies get a ''Pavlov's dog'' type of reaction, by which I mean, if they are placed in the same environment in which they have been tested on, will they show faster signs of depressions than if the environment for testing changes from times to times.

[nelladarren]

It *does* correlate with my depression history.

[droyalable]

Finding pit that rats and flys get depressed makes me sad.

[andrewzuo]

Two little mice fell in a bucket of cream. The first mouse quickly gave up and drowned. The second mouse, wouldn't quit. He struggled so hard that eventually he churned that cream into butter and crawled out

[WaelElazab]

Enjoying the science :-) However, what's that CD collection like?

[AlexDainisPhD]

...scientists. Those late night questions can get real weird.

[boredwillow]

As someone who has been battling depression my entire adult life, I hope this leads to more effective anti-depressant drugs. There are too many days when mine just aren't effective. It's very frustrating.

[boredwillow]

I live in a country that allows medicinal marijuana however I'm extremely allergic to marijuana and can't even walk past someone who smells like it without having an uncontrollable asthma attack so, maybe not for me. Thanks for the advice though!

[ThatKrazyNoob]

Didn't we observe speciation in fruit flies.

[ChickenWilickers]

So I get the importance of this research but it does leave me a little p.o. I mean this seems cruel to me, even though it isn't really that cruel. But why not just get consent to do similar to things to humans? It doesn't seem fair, we could create similar situations for humans and then watch depression develop in them.

[Kram]

So those researchers' goals is to minder the symptoms of being mobbed. That seems rather tragic. I wish there were more efficient ways to rather deal with mobbing in order to not cause depressions in the first place.

[krotenschemel]

I hope that the antidepressia gets released to actually cure a rat's depression. I've seen rats die of depression, usually after the loss of their comrades, so I'm really looking forward to be able to help that last rat of the pack.

[alifetomake]

If rats can be depressed, doesn't it mean that they have feelings, thoughts, and memories as we do?