Why are we apathetic?

• April 27, 2024

Apathy is a neurobehavioral syndrome characterized by the loss of motivation (complex interaction of consciousness, attention, perception and interaction with the environment), diminution of the will, lack of interest by activities and initiative, in addition to the reduction of the affective response (feelings and emotions) against positive or negative stimuli, according to the portal of the Alzheimer's Foundation of Spain .

Apathy is one of the most frequent neuropsychiatric symptoms in the dementias in general and in Alzheimer's disease in particular, but not its only causes.

However, it may appear associated with a variety of neurological and psychiatric diseases, such as major depression, the schizophrenia , brain injuries, cerebrovascular pathology and the complex HIV AIDS, which affect, in the particular case of apathy, frontal regions of the brain.

In addition, according to a study of the University of Calgary, Canada, published in the Journal of Neuroscience , the infiltration of immune cells in the brain, communicated and originated from sick and inflamed organs (liver) to the nervous system, generate apathy, malaise and lack of energy, according to the portal neurowikia.es

From a fucking biochemical view, according to research published by motivación.about.com, the nutritional deficiency of an amino acid called tyrosine , responsible for producing the catecholamines that give you energy, can cause apathy and depression due to low levels of catecholamines or thyroid hormones.

There are three types of catecholamines: dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. When your brain produces a sufficient amount you feel alert, energetic and with a good level of emotional and physical excitement. Dopamine is the one that produces the other two catecholamines.

Catecholamines are the hormones responsible for giving you the energy you need to respond to situations of stress . They help you to be alert and respond quickly and energetically to the demands of your environment.

The tyrosine is an amino acid found in foods rich in proteins, such as meat, fish, eggs, chicken, and is used by the brain to produce catecholamines. It has an anti-stress, antidepressant and revitalizing effect. It also increases the feeling of well-being, since it is a component of the enkephalins, similar in effect to endorphins.

If you do not take enough protein, your body will not be able to manufacture the catecholamines that you need, therefore it is recommended, to face the apathy from the nutritional perspective, to take a diet rich in proteins of animal origin, as well as to reduce the carbohydrates and sugars, which inhibit the production of tyrosine and its conversion into catecholamines.

Psychosocial interventions and some drugs have shown effectiveness in treating apathy, however it is very important that an accurate diagnosis is made because the use of certain medications can accentuate their symptoms. The most important thing is to go with specialists for their treatment.

Follow us at @GetQoralHealth, GetQoralHealth on Facebook and YouTube