3.The Gray Realm
Researchers have possibly uncovered why the world appears gray to depression sufferers. A study involving patients with major depression found that, compared to healthy individuals, their retinas were less responsive—in a dramatic way—to especially black-and-white contrasts.
This was true even for the participants who were taking antidepressants. Researchers believe the link between depression and vision could be the substance dopamine. Healthy contrast vision depends on certain cells within the retina.
Called amacrine cells, they connect the brain cells in the retina with each other. Pulling double duty, dopamine is needed for these cells to work properly as well as making a person feel driven and focused. When the chemical is lacking, it can cause cheerlessness and possibly blunt the effectiveness of the amacrine cells. This could be why everything look like an old photograph to sufferers during times of depression.
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