Social Psychologist Brett Silverstein is currently a Presidential Professor at the City College of New York in the department of psychology. Silverstein has taken part in numerous ground-breaking research studies where he sees to change the way the modern person and psychology professional looks at depression. The underlying conclusion in Silverstein’s research is that there exists more than the one general form of depression, there is something known as somatic and pure depression. Silverstein reported “Somatic depression deals with how you were treated by the world, how you were raised, and feel about yourself; pure depression deals with genes and genetic makeup” (Brett Silverstein, personal communication, March 8,2019). In addition, Silverstein has done some impressive studies to differentiate depression between genders, citing somatic depression to be the key aspect that differs between genders, as it being more apparent in women. Silverstein final major contribution to depression research includes the findings of antidepressant medication not best suited to treat somatic depression, but endogenous related depression.
Brett Silverstein always knew he wanted to be a professor in the sciences, coming into his first year of undergraduate in Stony Brook he was thinking about pursing biology and neuroscience. In his undergraduate he was part of a group where they conducted research on the brain. In this experiment Silverstein would investigate what part of the brain did what function by destroying certain parts of a rat’s brain or applying an electrode to stimulate the brain. Silverstein recalls applying a shot to the rat to paralyze it first and then using a dentist drill in order to insert it into a precise location of the brain; for the electrode placement. Silverstein involvement with tools, surgery, and what he claims as poor motor movement, were all elements that made him decide, neuroscience was not the career for him. Nevertheless, the same year of undergrad he had an introductory psychology class, and after partaking in a few psych studies he claimed, “I liked figuring people out, how they deal with one another, and how they process information” (1). After this Brett Silverstein was convince psychology was for him, his junior year in undergrad only cemented this idea when a well-known social psychologist was giving a lecture, Silverstein front row was fascinated on the topic being presented, overeating. Silverstein stated “I’m a pretty sane guy in most areas, not in my eating” (1), this made him go under this professor’s wing, all the way until he graduated Stony Brook in 1971 with a B.A in psychology and then a M.A and Ph.D from Columbia University in 1974 and 1976. After so many years under his mentorship, the study matter shifted from overeating to cigarette smoking, and while it wasn’t Silverstein topic of interest, he continued with him because of the high admiration he had for the mentor’s work, as well he wished to proceed learning for him and his research methods. Eventually, Silverstein would decide that he would no longer carry with smoking research but wanted to divert back to the area of overeating.
After already spending some years in the scientific field publishing work on overeating and smoking, Silverstein stumbled on a New York Times article on depression and how it has increased in the past few decades, the description on depression mentioned poor body image and self-esteem, which would link with Silverstein’s work on overeating. This appear to be no mere coincidence for Silverstein, and he would gradually shift his research focus to the relationship between overeating and depression, and stumble onto something quite remarkable. Silverstein would come to the conclusion that there is another form of depression called somatic depression that shares body disorder and body image problems (1). In one of Silverstein’s earlier articles (2), published in 2006, Silverstein talks about two important aspects to this new form of depression. One, somatic depression is related to psychological factors such as gender roles, eating problems, sleeping problems, and body image; contrast to pure depression which is more endogenous. Second, somatic depression is more prevalent in women instead of men. For years now studies have been showing women to have higher depression rates than men, but with Silverstein work, a new outlook on depression was emerging, no longer grouping depression into this one big generalized cluster, but dissecting and unraveling the multiple parts to it, in order to provide a deeper understanding on how it personally affects men and women differently.
Brett Silverstein agenda with unfolding the complexity of depression would reach new heights, in an article (3), published in 2011, Silverstein would take part in a study referred to as STAR*D, where he would compare the effectiveness of anti-depressants on pure vs somatic depressed patients. This is one of the largest studies ever done testing anti-depressants with over 4041 people participating. The test results focused on test trails with level 1-3, testing different varieties of anti-depressant per level and their effectiveness on those who met the criteria for somatic and pure depression. In the STAR*D study it showed those who exhibited somatic symptoms in levels 1 and 3 did not show remission to the anti-depressant administered as those individuals who were under the pure depression criteria, (3). While more testing was needed to solidify their work, Silverstein and his colleagues concluded that pure depression being heavier linked to endogenous forces than somatic depression, will have a greater remission respond to the antidepressant drug oppose to the somatic depression that is associated with psychological forces. This study provides great potential to the way society looks at curing depression, rather than trying to treat this illness as it was one whole problem, it is now broken into sub-categories and better diagnosis can be provided to people with somatic vs pure depression, with an appropriate solution to each.
The latest article (4), published by Brett Silverstein in 2017, continues with the subject of somatic depression, in this study, gender difference in somatic depression was reportedly higher in those who reported no relative with depression. This study was composed with the help of 4547 participants of boys and girls. After evaluating of these individuals, they were separated into four groups, those who had somatic depression with depressed and not depressed relative. As well, pure depression with depressed and not depressed relatives. Results demonstrated that, 23.2% of the females in the somatic sub-section that were females and had no depressed relative was far greater than the 3.1% male participants with somatic depression and no depressed relative. When comparing, male vs female with somatic and depressed relatives, the results were similar at 15.5% and 14.4% (4). This study supported Silverstein’s claim that there was indeed a significant increase in women with somatic depression that did not have any relative with that mental disorder.
The latest article (4), published by Brett Silverstein in 2017, continues with the subject of somatic depression, in this study, gender difference in somatic depression was reportedly higher in those who reported no relative with depression. This study was composed with the help of 4547 participants of boys and girls. After evaluating of these individuals, they were separated into four groups, those who had somatic depression with depressed and not depressed relative. As well, pure depression with depressed and not depressed relatives. Results demonstrated that, 23.2% of the females in the somatic sub-section that were females and had no depressed relative was far greater than the 3.1% male participants with somatic depression and no depressed relative. When comparing, male vs female with somatic and depressed relatives, the results were similar at 15.5% and 14.4% (4). This study supported Silverstein’s claim that there was indeed a significant increase in women with somatic depression that did not have any relative with that mental disorder.
Brett Silverstein has been researching depression and gender differences for countless years, his passion for the subject is ever growing with him and many others providing new and innovative ways we look on the intricacy that is depression, this quite frankly can change the way we understand and research depression. However, his work hasn’t come without barriers, Silverstein cites his never-ending battle with The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which is the guideline on how you diagnose and treat depression. Silverstein comments that the board are very conservative with their views on depression, and “There should not be one name for two diseases, one that is endogenous, and one that is more psychosocial” (1). As fascinating as Silverstein’s work is, it has also received its fair share of controversy with somatic depression touching on the topic of sexism. As mentioned before. this type of depression deals with psychosocial forces, like women injustice in society. Silverstein notes “Tons of biases and prejudice in todays’ society makes it hard for women to attain the success they desire” (1). Referring to sexism and linking it to a type of depression called somatic depression, Silverstein explains, goes against what psychiatrist believe in, he states “Psychiatrist believe in neurology, genes, and hormones; most of them don’t believe in sexism” (1). Overall, trying to go against the standard classification of depression and involving an aspect of politics, being sexism into a scientific environment has brought complications to Silverstein’s work. Nonetheless, Silverstein continues to push his research forward into the light, hoping one day it alters our comprehension of depression, and the way we look to cure this mental health disorder.
Literature Cited
1.Silverstein, Brett. (2019, March 8)
2. Brett Silverstein, Patricia Cohen, Stephanie Kasen, Should additional symptoms be included in criteria for atypical depression?,Psychiatry Research,Volume 144, Issue 1,2006, Pages 87-89,
3. Brett Silverstein, Priya Patel,Poor response to antidepressant medication of patients with depression accompanied by somatic symptomatology in the STAR*D Study,Psychiatry Research,Volume 187, Issues 1–2, 2011,Pages 121-124,
4. Brett Silverstein, Vladeta Ajdacic-Gross, Wulf Rossler, Jules Angst, The gender difference in depressive prevalence is due to high prevalence of somatic depression among women who do not have depressed relatives, Journal of Affective Disorders, Volume 210,2017, Pages 269-272,
