Charles Raison Charles Raison, M.D. is a professor at the School of Human Ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Founding Director of the Center for Compassion Studies in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Arizona. Dr. Raison's research focuses on inflammation and the development of depression in response to illness and stress. He also examines the physical and behavioral effects of compassion training on the brain, inflammatory processes, and behavior as well as the effect of heat stress as a potentially therapeutic intervention major depressive disorder. In this episode, you'll discover:

Introduction

Role of inflammation in depression

Evolutionary mechanism

Genetics of depression

How obesity causes depression biochemically

Does exercise treat depression

Hyperthermia as treatment

Inflammation promotes depression

Did we evolve to need hormetic stress?

Heat-shock proteins

Repurposing ancient wisdom

Psychedelics and meditation

What is the role of conventional pharmacotherapy?

Lifestyle modifications for depression