Myofascial Tissue and Depression

Johannes Michalak,Svenja Quassowsky,Antonia Bonn,Robert Schleip,Jaqueline Schmiedtke,Karen Grandin,Lanre Aranmolate,Tobias Teismann

doi:10.1007/s10608-021-10282-w

Abstract

BackgroundThe myofascial system plays a fundamental role in the mechanics of the body, in body tension regulation and the etiology of pathological states like chronic pain. Moreover, it contains contractile elements and preliminary evidence suggests that its properties are linked to psychological factors. The aim of the present research was to investigate characteristics of the myofascial tissue in patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and to examine whether the state of the myofascial tissue causally affects pathopsychological processes in MDD.MethodsIn Study 1, stiffness and elasticity of the myofascial tissue of 40 inpatients suffering from MDD measured with a tissue compliance meter were compared with those of 40 matched never-depressed participants. In Study 2, 69 MDD patients were randomly assigned to single-session self-myofascial release intervention (SMRI) or a placebo intervention. Effects on memory bias and affect were investigated.ResultsResults showed that MDD patients displayed heightened stiffness and reduced elasticity of the myofascial tissue and that patients in the SMRI group showed a reduced negative memory bias and more positive affect compared to patients in the placebo condition.ConclusionsThe preliminary results of our studies indicate that the myofascial tissue might be part of a dysfunctional body-mind dynamic that maintains MDD.

Highlights

Major depression disorder (MDD) is associated with significant suffering and impairment for the depressed individuals and their families
Since fascial tissue is involved in the modulation of force generation and mechanosensory fine-tuning, long-term dysfunction in this tissue represented by stiffness and reduced elasticity might lead to chronically intensified body tension and reduced suppleness of the motoric system
The aim of our present research was to investigate whether the myofascial tissue might contribute to the dynamics of establishing self-perpetuating mind–body interlock configurations that maintain depression

Summary

Introduction

Major depression disorder (MDD) is associated with significant suffering and impairment for the depressed individuals and their families. In addition to the well documented cognitive and interpersonal factors, some recent studies have examined the possible role of bodily processes as an etiology factor in MDD These studies were inspired by accumulating evidence from basic research that motor displays affect emotional processes. This close interplay between motoric and emotional processes was, for example, documented in a recent meta-analysis including over 70 studies on experimental manipulations of motor displays in non-clinical participants (Elkjær et al, 2020). In these studies, participants were made to adopt for example an upright or slumped posture or to walk in a depressed or non-depressed style.

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