Depression is a common mood disorder that profoundly affects one’s view and perception of oneself, others, and the environment, and that affects all areas of functioning. Researchers are working to understand complementary and alternative therapies that can help treat depression.
A recent study published in the journal Nutrients looked at the potential antidepressant effect of matcha tea powder and the underlying mechanisms involved. They found that matcha tea had antidepressant-like effects in a mouse model of depression.
Matcha tea and its impact on depression
This particular study looked at the effectiveness of matcha tea as a treatment for depression in mouse models. The researchers conducted their experiment on mice they placed in social isolation to see how this affected the effectiveness of the treatment.
Dr. James Giordano, professor of neurology and biochemistry at the Pellegrino Center at Georgetown University Medical Center, who is not involved in the study, explained to MNT: “This study, which examined specific genetic strains of mice that expressed differential sensitivity to stress, showed that matcha tea extract exerts at least some of its neurological and psychotropic effects by interacting with the dopaminergic system and its pathways to the prefrontal cortex and nucleus . accumbens, which are involved in the cognitive, emotional and behavioral aspects of depression.”
The results of the study indicate that the impact of matcha tea has to do in part with its influence on certain areas of the brain.
Source: The reality of the Medical Reality
