Depression Alters Visual Perception, Finds New Study

Mental Health News: Researchers at the University of Helsinki found that depression affects the ability of an individual to process visual information, an event most likely linked with the processing of information in the cerebral cortex.

Blue and gray are two colors that are known to best represent depression. Earlier it was assumed that there was some psychological phenomenon why depressed individuals used a shade of gray or blue to express their mental state. But, a new study has found the biological basis to it.

Researchers compared visual perception in depressed people to that of a control group by using two visual tests. Participants were asked to compare the brightness and contrast of simple patterns.

Those in depression perceived the contrast of the images displayed differently from non-depressed participants. The contrast was suppressed by 5% among depressed patients and 20% among non-depressed subjects.

Identifying and understanding the altered processing of visual information and other changes in brain function due to depression will help in developing effective therapies for patients.

So, there is a need for more research to assess and further develop the usability of perception tests as both research methods and potential ways of identifying disturbances of information processing in patients.

To Know More, You May Refer To:

University of Helsinki. (2021, March 29). Depression affects visual perception. ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 18, 2021 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/03/210329122850.htm