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Memory loss is one of the most
prominent signs of depression. A depressed person appears to recall
mainly sad, negative memories. To family and friends this can appear
to be memory loss. Depression also inhibits a person’s ability to
create long term memory. However, some researchers believe this is
due to inattentiveness and lack of concentration.
Depressed
people generally have decreased levels of serotonin. Serotonin
regulates blood flow, providing cells with the fuel they need to
operate. Serotonin is also involved in regulating our arousal levels
– including the degree to which we are focused and attentive. A
depressed person, therefore, may be too inattentive and unfocused to
file passing events from their working memory into short-term memory.
In this case, it isn't so much that the depressed person has
forgotten, but that the memory was never stored in the first place.
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