Shrinking brain risk

THE area of the brain which forms new memories and regulates emotions shrinks in people with recurring depression, according to a new study. The findings highlight the need to identify and treat depression when it first develops, particularly in young people, says Professor Ian Hickie, codirector of the Brain and Mind Research Institute at the University of Sydney. He also says the shrinkage is reversible. The study, published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, analysed brain scans and medical data.