Depression May Lead to Brittle Bones

By Corinna Underwood
October 31, 2006

A new study, conducted by Israeli scientists, shows that depression may cause brittle bones, and also that some anti-depressants could be used to treat osteoporosis.

The scientists, at Jerusalem’s Hebrew University, said mice that were given drugs to induce behavior similar to human depression suffered from a loss of mass in their bones, mainly their hips and vertebrae. After being given anti-depressants, the bone density of the mice increased, along with their level of activity and social interaction.

Dr. Philip Gold, chief of the Clinical Neuroendocrinology branch at the National Institute of Mental Health, is conducting pioneering research on the effects of depression on bone density. According to Dr. Gold women under 45 who have a bout of major depression has up to a 30 percent chance of having decreased bone density. There is also preliminary evidence that it can have similar effects on men. Depression that lasts only a few months can trigger significant bone loss.

Bone loss during depression is caused by the brain’s manipulation of hormones. Depression is like a severe and prolonged state of stress, which causes blood pressure and heart rate to increase. It also causes the release of a chemical compound called noradrenaline that harms bone-building cells.