Chocolate Linked to Depression
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For most of us, chocolate equals happiness. Indeed, scientific research has shown that consuming chocolate produces changes in the brain including increases in the mood-lifting neurotransmitter dopamine. However new research suggests that the mental health outlook for people who frequently indulge in chocolate may not be so good. UC San Diego and UC Davis researchers examined 931 men and women not taking antidepressants. The study subjects were screened for depression and asked about their chocolate consumption. Those who screened positively for depression consumed an average of 8.4 servings of chocolate per month compared with just 5.4 servings for those who did not screen positively for depression. The most depressed subjects, those who screened positively for major depression, consumed an average of 11.8 servings per month. Researchers aren't clear as to why this correllation exists but speculate that individuals who frequently consume chocolate might be self-treating for depression. Read more: Study links chocolate and depression SHARE:
Posted In: Depression Research | Tags: Depression | Diet | Chocolate | Posted by FindCounseling.com Staff on April 28, 2010 at 08:32 AM | Permalink |
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