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Diabetes
Many people who are depressed also have increased production of cortisol, the stress hormone. When cortisol is secreted, it leads to the release of amino acids, which are then turned into glucose, thereby raising blood sugar levels--which is a great problem for diabetics.
Researchers have also found that patients with Type I diabetes have a hippocampus that is damaged, even atrophied, in a way that resembles those of people with depression. One possible explanation is that the brain structure changes caused by diabetes can also trigger depression. Another is that the brain structure changes caused by depression can exacerbate diabetes.
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