A cancer diagnosis is a life-changing event and the treatment may actually change the way our brain works. Cancer treatments affect our physical health and our mental health too. One of the most common mental illnesses cancer patients have to deal with is depression. It is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects the way we feel, think and act. The symptoms include: Feeling down or depressed, loss of interest in activities, changes in sleep and appetite, etc.

What stimulates depression in our brain? Well, it’s actually the lower level of neurogenesis that promotes depression. Neurogenesis is a process by which new nerve cells are being produced in our brain. We have a gray structure in the center of the brain known as the Hippocampus. It is one of the unique structures of an adult brain where new neurons are generated which are not only important for learning, emotions, or for the capacity of memories but also the quality of these memories. We produce 700 new neurons in the hippocampus per day. There are numerous risk factors that increase the potential for development of depression in the patient with cancer. Medication is one of them. Even after being cured of cancer, patients suffer from depression as depression tends to be the side effect of these medications. Doctors normally prescribe anti-depressant drugs to cure patients suffering from depression. Antidepressants increase the production of newborn neurons which helps to decrease the symptoms of depression. When it comes to curing a cancer patient of depression these drugs don’t work. This is because chemotherapy and radiotherapy stop cancer cells from multiplying and it also stops the newborn neurons from being generated in their brain hence blocking the efficacy of the antidepressants. In short, the cancer drugs stop neurogenesis and it takes time to produce new ones which will function normally. However, we can help ourselves to get out of depression by controlling neurogenesis. Here’s how we can do that – By being active – Activities such as learning a new skill, traveling, and making new social connections stimulates neurogenesis. Doing Exercise - Aerobic activities such as running, cycling, and swimming are effective ways of boosting neurogenesis. Our heart should pump more than 20 minutes on a regular basis as it helps several growth hormones to elevate in the brain. Moreover, increased endorphins help reduce stress which can have negative impacts on neurogenesis. Food Habits - Diet modulates memory and mood in the same direction as it modulates neurogenesis. Calorie restriction will improve memory capacity whereas a high-fat diet will exacerbate symptoms of depression. Omega – 3 fatty acids increase neurogenesis. Consuming alcohol decreases neurogenesis, however, intake of flavonoids that are contained in dark chocolates or blueberries increases neurogenesis. Intermittent fasting spacing the time between your meals will increase neurogenesis as well as the soft diet which doesn’t require mastication, chewing, or crunchy food. The effect of diet on mental health, on memory and mood, is actually mediated by the production of the new neurons in the hippocampus and it’s not only about what you eat but it’s also about the texture of the food, when you eat it and how much of it you eat. Make Your Mental Health a Priority.