Could depression be an adaptive response that allows our brain to concentrate, or ruminate on particular situations, thus "allowing people to stay focused on their problem?" Jonah Lehrer of the New York Times (February 28, 2010) explores the "analytical rumination hypothesis" which proposes that depression is an evolved response to complex problems where the brain prioritizes the issue, lessens distracting activities, and triggers "psychomotor changes that reduce exposure to distracting stimuli." Citing Andrew Thompson (University of Virginia) and Paul Andrews' (Virginia Commonwealth University) paper published in the Psychological Review (Vol. 116 (3), July 2009, 620-654), Lehrer provides a well written introduction into the on-going debate over the nature and possible function of mental Illness. To read the article in its entirety, click here.
To read the abstract of the Thompson and Andrews article (you have to buy the full text), click here.
