Living with depression for more than a decade can significantly affect the physical structure of the brain. Physical changes may range from inflammation to actual shrinking.
Research has shown that when people experience depression, the size of specific regions of the brain (amygdala, prefrontal cortex, hippocampus) can decrease, which reduces your ability to perform functions associated with those sections. But studies have also shown that shrinkage is reversible and the brain can heal.
Researchers also found a link between inflammation and depression. Brain inflammation can cause brain cells to die and cause such complications as reduced neuroplasticity and reduced functioning of neurotransmitters.