2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Is high altitude really a risk factor for depression?
| Project/Area Number |
16K21394
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Research Field |
Area studies
General internal medicine(including psychosomatic medicine)
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| Research Institution | Tokyo Women's Medical University |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Project Period (FY) |
2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
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| Keywords | うつ病 / 低酸素環境 / ヒマラヤ高地 / 精神障害 / 医療人類学 / 高齢者 |
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
Studies have reported a positive association between suicide rate and altitude, suggesting a relationship between hypoxia and depression. Previously we reported that a high frequency of depression is not universal at high altitudes and that the prevalence of depression in the Himalayas and the Andes was low. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between depression and religious devotion, social support, and personality inventory. We also investigated the outcome of the two residents diagnosed with depression; both of them achieved spontaneous remission without treatment. The results suggest that social support and religious beliefs may not only protect against the development of depression but also have a positive effect on the clinical course of depression.
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| Free Research Field |
心療内科 医療人類学
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