A groundbreaking study by the University of California, San Francisco, involving over 20,000 participants worldwide, has discovered a potential novel treatment for depression based on body temperature regulation. The research found that individuals with depression often have higher body temperatures and that reducing these temperatures could positively affect their mental health.
Chilling out might be more than just a way to relax; it could also offer significant benefits for individuals suffering from depression. This intriguing possibility comes from a recent study that highlights a correlation between higher body temperatures and depression. Conducted by a team from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), the study analyzed data from over 20,000 participants across 106 countries, making it one of the largest of its kind.
Participants in the study wore devices that continuously monitored their body temperatures while they reported their depressive symptoms daily. The study, which spanned seven months starting in early 2020, revealed a clear link: as the severity of depression symptoms increased, so did body temperature. Additionally, those with less fluctuation in their body temperature over a 24-hour period tended to report higher depression scores.
These findings open up exciting prospects for treating depression by regulating body temperature. Previous research has suggested that activities like using hot tubs or saunas, which induce the body to cool down through mechanisms like sweating, can reduce depression symptoms. This process, known as rebound body temperature lowering, might be more effective than direct cooling methods, such as ice baths.
Associate Professor Ashley Mason, from the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, emphasized the potential of timing heat-based treatments with body temperature tracking to optimize their effectiveness. Despite some uncertainties—such as whether depression causes an increase in body temperature or vice versa—the study’s implications for developing new depression treatments are promising.
Why It Matters: With depression rates on the rise in the United States and globally, the discovery of a potential new treatment method that involves body temperature regulation offers hope. This approach could complement existing treatments and provide an alternative for those seeking non-pharmacological options.
Potential Implications: If further research confirms these findings, it could lead to the development of wearable devices designed to monitor body temperature and signal the optimal times for heat-based treatments or other interventions. This could revolutionize the way depression is treated, making it more personalized and potentially more effective.
Source: Moorenews
