Professor Flint at the University of Oxford UK found a unexpected relationship between mitochondrial DNA and stress. They did a study between women who were depressed versus women who were not depressed. The women who were depressed seemed to revert back to a time in their childhood when something stressful happened. For instance, sexual assault, these women seemed to have more mitochondrial DNA present then women who were not stressed. Their further research brought them to the idea of where the way telemeters deteriorates would change as the amount of mitochondrial DNA changes and this was the case.This then meant that women who are under more stress also age quicker because their is nothing to turn on and off the gene.
This research is remarkable for people with depression. Especially in our society where we look at depression as just a mental thing not something that is physically affecting our body. The research also went on to say how they would be able to track the effectiveness of treatment by looking at the Mitochondrial count inside our bodies. Bodies that are reacting well to depression treatments would have a reduced mitochondrial count whereas, bodies that are not would have an increase or the same. This is incredible because half of the struggle with depression is as a provider not being able to tell if your treatment is actually working for a patient or if they are just having a good day.
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I find it very interesting that depression is linked to mitochondrial DNA. I read an article earlier that showed that mitochondrial diseases can be prevented from being passed down in mice and potentially jn humans in the future. Hopefully this will help reduce casesvof depression in the future.
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