Claude 3.5 on Mental Growth in Adulthood

We’re back to my series of reflections on melancholy and creativity. As you may recall, it started with an article in 3 Quarks Daily: Melancholy and Growth: Toward a Mindcraft for an Emerging World. 

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What do we know about mental growth in adulthood?

Research on adult cognitive development has revealed that mental growth continues well beyond adolescence, challenging earlier beliefs that cognitive development plateaus in early adulthood.

The traditional view of crystallized intelligence - our accumulated knowledge and experience - shows steady growth throughout adulthood. This includes vocabulary, general knowledge, and expertise in specific domains. Professional experience and continued learning contribute significantly to this form of intelligence.

Fluid intelligence, which involves abstract reasoning and novel problem-solving, follows a different trajectory. While it typically peaks in early adulthood, studies indicate that regular mental stimulation and learning can help maintain these capabilities. Furthermore, adults often compensate for any decline in processing speed with improved strategic thinking and wisdom accumulated through experience.

Recent neuroscience research has demonstrated remarkable brain plasticity in adults. The brain continues to form new neural connections throughout life, particularly when engaging in novel learning experiences or complex problem-solving tasks. This neuroplasticity supports the development of new skills and adaptation to changing environments well into advanced age.

Social-emotional intelligence represents another dimension of adult mental growth. As individuals progress through different life stages, they often develop enhanced emotional regulation, better perspective-taking abilities, and more sophisticated approaches to interpersonal relationships. This emotional maturation process can continue well into later adulthood.

Environmental factors significantly influence adult cognitive development. Continuous education, engaging work environments, strong social connections, and healthy lifestyle practices all contribute to sustained mental growth. Conversely, lack of cognitive stimulation or chronic stress can impede development.

Understanding these patterns has important implications for professional development and lifelong learning programs. Organizations and educational institutions can support adult mental growth by providing opportunities for complex problem-solving, encouraging continuous learning, and creating environments that promote both intellectual and emotional development.

Depression and Grief [Claude]

I think that understanding the relationship between depression and grief is particularly important for my current investigation of depression – which, BTW, I am provisionally calling The Melancholy Project. Why is this particularly important? Because, on the one hand, grief is something we all go through more than once in life. It is necessary. But it doesn’t always tip over into depression. We need to understand why and how that happens.

Why is grief necessary? We grieve for people whom we’ve lost – though not necessarily only people. These are people with whom we’ve had a strong personal relationship. That relationship is necessarily mediated by widely-distributed neural connections. The “valence,” if you will, of those connections has to be altered.

If human memory was organized like computer memory, that would be a relatively easy process. For computer memory can organize items in discrete blocks. If Mother has died, you just access the block for Mother and change its contents. Since, however, human memory is not like that, but widely distributed over many neurons and synapses, changing them is much more difficult.

Anyhow, I consulted Claude (3.5 Sonnet) to gather some background information. While I was at it I probably should have quizzed it about different groups and societies handle grief. I can do that later. While I have not made any attempt to verify this information in the technical literature, it is consistent what I know. As always, my prompts are set in boldface while Claude’s responses are plain.

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What do we know about the relationship between depression and grief?

The relationship between depression and grief is complex and clinically significant. While both are emotional responses to loss, they have important distinctions in their characteristics, progression, and treatment approaches.

Grief is a natural response to loss that typically follows a progression through various emotional stages. These emotions can include denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. During grief, individuals often maintain their sense of self-worth and can experience positive emotions alongside their sadness, particularly when remembering their loved one.

Clinical depression, in contrast, is a mental health condition characterized by persistent feelings of hopelessness, diminished self-worth, and a reduced capacity to experience pleasure. Unlike grief, which tends to come in waves and gradually evolves, depression typically manifests as a more constant state of emotional distress that can persist regardless of circumstances.

These conditions can intersect in several ways. Prolonged or complicated grief can develop into clinical depression, particularly when the grieving person lacks adequate support systems or has a history of mental health challenges. Research indicates that approximately 40% of bereaved individuals meet the criteria for major depression one month after their loss, though this percentage typically decreases over time.

Healthcare providers must carefully differentiate between normal grief and clinical depression when determining appropriate interventions. While grief typically benefits from supportive counseling and time, clinical depression often requires professional treatment, which may include psychotherapy, medication, or a combination of both.

What makes this distinction particularly challenging is that grief and depression share several symptoms, including sleep disturbances, appetite changes, and difficulty concentrating. However, grief tends to maintain a connection to the specific loss, while depression affects multiple aspects of a person's life more pervasively.

Claude 3.5 on the causes of depression and SAD

More background material for my Melancholy Project. Notice the variety of causal factors involved in depression. As always, read this information with caution. I've not checked it, but it does seem reasonable enough.

Tell me about the causes of depression.

Depression is a complex mental health condition that typically develops through a combination of different factors working together. Key factors that can contribute to depression include:

Biological factors:

Brain chemistry and structure play important roles. Differences in neurotransmitters like serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine can affect mood regulation. Some people may have genetic variations that increase their vulnerability.

Life experiences:

Difficult or traumatic events can trigger depression, such as losing a loved one, experiencing abuse, going through a breakup, or facing major life changes. Chronic stress, whether from work, relationships, or other sources, can also contribute.

Social circumstances:

Isolation, loneliness, and lack of social support can increase risk. Financial hardship, unemployment, and housing instability can create chronic stress that contributes to depression.

Medical conditions:

Certain illnesses like thyroid disorders, chronic pain conditions, or other health issues can increase depression risk. Some medications may also have depression as a side effect.

Early life experiences:

Childhood trauma, neglect, or unstable attachment relationships can affect brain development and increase vulnerability to depression later in life.

Importantly, depression is highly treatable through various approaches, including therapy, medication when appropriate, lifestyle changes, and social support. If you or someone you know is experiencing depression, speaking with a mental health professional can help identify personal contributing factors and develop an effective treatment plan.

Would you like to discuss any particular aspect of depression's causes in more detail?

What about seasonal affective disorder?

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that follows a seasonal pattern, typically occurring during winter months when daylight hours are shorter. Here's what we know about it:

The daily routines of creative people

Yesterday I posted about my daily routine – posting and sleep habits – upon coming out of the slump I’d been in for the past couple months. (It looks like Project Melancholy is going to go on for a bit.)

I’ve consulted Claude about the daily routines of creative people. I’ve appended its remarks below. Note that at the end I asked it to give me examples of the routines of three people. It chose Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Virginia Woolf, and William Styron. Finally, I'm not offering this as ground truth, so don't take it as such. It's an LLM, not a trained scholar. But it's "read" more than any trained scholar, so don't sneeze at it.

I’m using my standard convention, setting my words in bold Courier and Claude’s reply in plain Courier.

Version: Claude 3.5 Sonnet

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Lots of creative people have written about their process and activities and there has been a lot of research in creativity. Do we have any good information about the daily routines of creative people during the periods when they’re creative, but also during the periods when they aren’t creative, perhaps even depressed?

This is a fascinating question that intersects creativity research, mental health, and biographical studies. Research and biographical accounts reveal distinct patterns in how creative individuals structure their time during both productive and challenging periods.

During creative periods, many artists and writers maintain highly structured daily routines. For instance, Maya Angelou would write from 7 AM to 2 PM in sparse hotel rooms she rented specifically for writing. Ernest Hemingway famously wrote standing at his desk every morning at dawn. Composer Igor Stravinsky performed a daily headstand, claiming it "cleared his brain" before composing.

The scientific literature supports the value of these routines. Research indicates that establishing regular creative practices helps maintain productive output and manages cognitive resources. These routines often incorporate specific environmental conditions - Virginia Woolf insisted on "a room of one's own," while others required particular tools or settings to work effectively.

During less productive or depressive periods, biographical accounts show significant disruption to these established patterns. Sylvia Plath's journals detail how her depression affected her writing schedule, though she attempted to maintain some structure even during difficult times. Vincent van Gogh's letters reveal periods of intense productivity alternating with times when he struggled to maintain any routine at all.

Recent research has identified some common coping strategies creative individuals employ during these challenging periods. Many attempt to maintain some version of their creative routine, even if modified. For example, composer Robert Schumann would continue his daily walks and music notation even during depressive episodes, though the quality and quantity of his work varied significantly.

Modern creativity researchers emphasize the importance of maintaining some form of creative practice during difficult periods, even if it differs from one's usual routine. This might involve switching to different creative activities or reducing the scope of work while maintaining regular engagement with creative processes.

Would you be interested in exploring any particular aspect of these patterns in more detail? For instance, we could examine specific strategies creative individuals use to maintain their practice during challenging periods, or look more closely at the research on routine's role in sustaining creativity.

I’m particularly interested in when they work, during the day, or the night. I assume it varies from individual to individual.

Neural maturation, cerebral plasticity, and the adaptive value of vacations

I’ve had another session with Claude (3.5 Sonnet) in connection with the article I’m writing. Tentative title: “Melancholy and Growth: Toward a Mindcraft for an Emerging World.” The post title carries the topics under discussion.

I’ve read widely in neuroscience over the years, and continue to dip into the technical literature now and then. Some years ago David Hays and I published on “Principles and Development of Natural Intelligence” in which we reviewed a wide range of material: neural processes and organization, behavioral correlates, the phylogeny of the nervous system, and growth in human development. That’s my basic framework. On that basis Claude’s remarks make sense to me. Still, I’d advise caution in making use of those remarks.

I’ve appended its remarks below. I’m using my standard convention, setting my words in bold Courier and Claude’s reply in plain Courier.

Version: Claude 3.5 Sonnet

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What can you tell me about the development of the nervous system in humans? I know something about the course of myelination, which I believe is mostly complete by the early 20s, when the sutures of the skull finally set. I also know about the proliferation and pruning of dendrites early. Give me some more information.

I see you already have some knowledge about neural development! Let me add to that while gently correcting a small misconception - the cranial sutures actually begin fusing in early childhood and are typically mostly fused by age 6, though some continue fusing into adulthood. This is separate from the process of myelination you mentioned.

Neural development is a fascinating process that begins very early in embryonic development. Here are some key aspects and timeline points:

During embryonic development, the nervous system starts forming from the neural tube around week 3 post-conception. This process, called neurulation, creates the foundation for the entire central nervous system.

The early stages involve rapid neurogenesis (creation of new neurons), with neurons being produced at a rate of about 250,000 per minute during peak periods of fetal development. Most of our neurons are actually produced before we're born!

You mentioned dendritic pruning - this is indeed a crucial process. After birth, there's massive synaptic proliferation (synaptogenesis) creating many more connections than we'll ultimately keep. This peaks in different regions at different times:

• Visual cortex peaks around 6 months
• Prefrontal cortex peaks around age 1-2

The subsequent pruning you referenced continues through adolescence, following a "use it or lose it" principle where frequently used connections are strengthened and unused ones are eliminated.

Regarding myelination, it proceeds in a predictable pattern:

• Begins in the spinal cord during fetal development
• Progresses from back to front in the brain
• Sensory pathways myelinate before motor pathways
• Higher-order association areas myelinate last
• The prefrontal cortex indeed continues myelinating into the early 20s

One fascinating aspect is how this development correlates with function. For instance, the areas controlling basic functions like breathing and temperature regulation are well-developed at birth, while areas involved in executive function continue developing into early adulthood.

Would you like me to elaborate on any particular aspect of neural development? I find the relationship between developmental timing and functional capabilities particularly interesting.

Tell me more about this, “though some continue fusing into adulthood,” and this “The prefrontal cortex indeed continues myelinating into the early 20s.”

Let me address both of those ongoing developmental processes.

Regarding cranial sutures, while most fusion occurs early, the sagittal suture (running along the top of the skull from front to back) can continue its fusion process into the 30s. The sphenofrontal and frontoethmoidal sutures typically complete fusion between ages 20-40. Some parts of the lambdoid sutures (at the back of the skull) may not fully fuse until around age 60, though this varies considerably between individuals.

As for prefrontal cortex myelination, this prolonged development has significant implications. The extended myelination period correlates with ongoing refinement of executive functions including:

• Complex decision-making
• Impulse control
• Planning ability
• Social cognition
• Risk assessment

Recent research has shown that myelination isn't simply a linear process of adding more myelin. Instead, it involves active remodeling where myelin sheaths can be modified based on neural activity and learning. This process is particularly active in the prefrontal cortex through adolescence and early adulthood.

This extended development period helps explain certain patterns of adolescent behavior and why capabilities like judgment and impulse control continue to mature into the early-to-mid 20s. It's also relevant to understanding vulnerability to certain psychiatric conditions that often emerge during this period.

Would you like me to expand on the functional implications of either of these developmental processes?

Depression and Creativity

I’m working on an article about depression and decided to ask about the connection between depression and creativity. Claude makes a few general remarks and asks for my thoughts. So I mention some remarks that my teacher, David Hays, had made years ago, mentioning that he was a computational linguist. After some general remarks, Claude asks:

... did Hays develop this idea through his work in computational linguistics? It seems like there might be interesting parallels between how computer systems need to reorganize data structures and how human minds might need to reorganize mental frameworks.

Interesting, most interesting. Our ensuing interaction felt a bit like a real conversation. I was surprised and pleased. This felt a bit like, you know, real intelligence. But don't take any of it as ground truth. It's high class chit-chat.

I’ve appended its remarks below. I’m using my standard convention, setting my words in bold Courier and Claude’s reply in plain Courier.

Version: Claude 3.5 Sonnet

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Is there evidence for a relationship between depression and creativity?

The relationship between depression and creativity is complex and has been studied extensively. The research shows several interesting patterns:

Historical observations have noted many renowned artists, writers, and musicians who experienced depression, like Virginia Woolf, Vincent van Gogh, and Sylvia Plath. However, we should be careful not to romanticize mental illness or assume correlation equals causation.

Scientific studies have found some evidence for links between depression and certain aspects of creativity:

Some research suggests that people with mood disorders may experience enhanced divergent thinking during certain phases, allowing them to generate more unique associations and ideas. The changes in emotional processing and perspective that can come with depression might contribute to seeing things in new ways or having deeper emotional insights.

However, severe depression typically impairs cognitive function and motivation, which can significantly reduce creative output. Many artists report that while their experiences with depression may inform their work, the actual creative process usually happens during periods of better mental health.

A key factor seems to be that creative pursuits can serve as a coping mechanism and form of emotional expression for people experiencing depression. The relationship may also be bidirectional - creative personalities might be more prone to rumination and emotional sensitivity.

What are your thoughts on this relationship between mental health and creativity? Have you observed any patterns in your own creative process?

That’s tricky. A teacher of mine, the computational linguist David Hays, thought that depression might indicate a process of mental reorganization that precedes a period of creativity. It’s as though you get stuck on a line of thought and have to undergo something like mental hibernation. During that “hibernation” the mind reorganizes.

That's a fascinating perspective from David Hays. His idea of depression as a period of mental reorganization or "hibernation" adds an interesting cognitive dimension to the discussion. It aligns with some modern theories about the potential adaptive functions of depression, particularly the "analytical rumination hypothesis" proposed by evolutionary psychologists.

This hypothesis suggests that depression's characteristic features - social withdrawal, reduced activity, and intense focus on problems - might serve to create mental space for working through complex problems or restructuring one's understanding. The "stuck" feeling you mentioned could represent this deep processing phase.

The metaphor of hibernation is particularly apt because it suggests both:

1. A necessary withdrawal or dormancy period
2. An underlying productive process that sets the stage for future growth

I'm curious - did Hays develop this idea through his work in computational linguistics? It seems like there might be interesting parallels between how computer systems need to reorganize data structures and how human minds might need to reorganize mental frameworks. His background in computational thinking might have given him unique insights into cognitive restructuring processes.

I think Hays primarily developed the idea from observing his own creative process. But he might also have been thinking about computers. Your remark about reorganizing data structures is suggestive. I know one thing that programmers do is refactor their code. That’s a specific kind of reorganization so it is more coherently organized.

The parallel between mental reorganization and code refactoring is quite illuminating. In refactoring, you don't change what the code does (its external behavior), but you restructure its internal organization to make it clearer, more efficient, or more maintainable. This often involves recognizing patterns that weren't obvious in the original implementation and finding a better way to express them.

This maps interestingly onto Hays's idea about depression and creativity. Just as a programmer might hit a point where the code has become too unwieldy and needs refactoring, a person might reach a point where their current mental models or ways of thinking have become inadequate for handling their experiences or insights. The depressive period could be like the uncomfortable but necessary process of pulling apart the existing structure to create something more robust.

Depression is on the rise

I’m preparing an article on depression and want to say a few words about rising rates of depression. I decided to ask Claude about it. Note its remarks about long-term historical trends, Robert Burton's The Anatomy of Melancholy, and about the “melancholy Dane” (Hamlet). I’ve not attempted to verify any of this, but it looks reasonable to me. It’s certainly a reasonable starting point for a serious look through the archives; here are some posts about depression at New Savanna. I did read large chunks of Burton’s remarkable book while in graduate school.

I’ve appended its remarks below. I’m using my standard convention, setting my words in bold Courier and Claude’s reply in plain Courier.

Version: Claude 3.5 Sonnet

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Is there any evidence that depression has been increasing in the US in the last couple of decades?

Yes, there is evidence of increasing depression rates in the US over recent decades, with several notable trends: Data from major studies shows rising prevalence, particularly among certain groups:

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health found the percentage of adults experiencing a major depressive episode increased from 6.6% in 2005 to 8.4% in 2020, with particularly sharp increases among young adults aged 18-25.

Youth depression has shown especially concerning trends. The CDC reported that the percentage of high school students experiencing persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness increased from 26% in 2009 to 37% in 2019.

Some demographic patterns in the increases include:

• Higher rates among women compared to men
• Particularly sharp rises among adolescents and young adults
• Greater increases among people with lower incomes and education levels
• Notable increases across racial and ethnic groups, though with some variations

Several potential contributing factors have been identified:

1. Increased social media use and screen time
2. Economic pressures and inequality
3. Changes in sleep patterns and physical activity
4. Decreased in-person social connection
5. Greater awareness and willingness to report symptoms

It’s worth noting that some of the reported increase may also reflect improved recognition and diagnosis of depression, as well as reduced stigma around mental health that leads more people to seek help and report symptoms. However, researchers generally agree there has been a real increase in depression beyond just better detection.

Would you like me to elaborate on any particular aspect of these trends or their potential causes?