According to a study performed by the University of Sydney researchers, it was revealed that Chronic and repeated episodes of depression can shrink the hippocampus, an area of the brain responsible for memory and emotion.

For the study, 15 research institutes from across the world collaborated and examined the data of 8,927 people, 1,728 of whom had major depression and the rest of whom were healthy, researchers said. The researchers found that 65 percent of the depressed participants had recurrent depression and it was these people who had a smaller hippocampus.

"Persistent depression does more harm to the hippocampus the more you leave it untreated. The damage to the brain comes from recurrent illness." Hickie, from University of Sydney's brain and mind research institute and member of the large study.

"Treating depression effectively does not just mean medicines. Social interventions are just as important," the author said.

The study was published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.

By Lizitha