Biological causes of depression pdf

A number of genes of interest have been highli ghted, although a genetic variant, that is unequivocally associated with increased risk for. People with bipolar disorder experience both dramatic highs, called manic episodes, and lows, called depressive episodes. This seems to be the case more so with certain types of mental illness, such as bipolar. Hypothyroidism, a condition in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones, is also known to cause depression in some people. Two of the most common mood disorders are depression and bipolar disorder. Certain biological, environmental, and personal factors have also been associated with the protection from or the overcoming of risk factors and adverse conditions. Several physiological, psychological and environmental factors contribute to the etiology or causes of depression. Biological markers and genetic factors of major depressive disorder. The biological aspect of depression is very closely related to the genetic one, since an individuals genes will influence the biological working of his or her body. Many biological and psychological factors interact in depression, although.

The impact of biological factors seems to be more prominent in major depressive syndrome, where typical symptoms and signs such as. Genetic a biological vulnerability to depression and bipolar disorder seem to be. Among the biological factors that contribute to depression in later life are vascular lesions in the. Mechanisms of depression and antidepressant treatment. Great progress has been made in the understanding of brain function, the influence of neurotransmitters and hormones, and other biological processes, as well as how they may relate to the development of depression. Major depressive disorder mdd is very prevalent and severe psychiatric disorder with prevalence estimates ranging 5% to 20% 1, 2 and has. The medical model of mental illness treats mental disorders in the same way as a broken arm, i. Overview of the genetics of major depressive disorder. Scientists believe that depression may also be caused by an imbalance in the important neurotransmitters of the brain. Depression can be triggered by traumatic life events, poor diet, genetic conditions, blood sugar imbalances, medical illness, hormone imbalance, lack of exercise, medications, drug and alcohol use, and digestive difficulties. Furthermore there is a link with genetic inheritance as caspi shows that people with a short allele are more likely to develop depression after a series of. Despite the prevalence and costly consequences of depression, there are still no validated, diagnostically useful biological tests to aid in the diagnosis of this.

Yet for other conditions, such as depression or anxiety, the biological foundation is more nebulous. Biologicalexplanationsofgeneralized anxietydisorder. Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that causes extreme shifts in mood, energy, and behavior. Rem sleep depends on decreased serotonin levels in the brain stem, and is impaired by compounds, such as antidepressants, that increase serotonergic tone in. Perhaps direct experience leads individualstoformstrong,concretebeliefs about the causes or prognoses of their own mental disorders, which could be difficult to change, for example, by using biological explanations. Fundamentally, such depressive symptoms as sad mood, pessimism, and lethargy, are universal human experiences and are considered normal reactions to the struggles, disappointments, and losses of everyday life. However, for some individuals, the intensity and persistence of depressive symptoms. Our understanding of the causes of depression is evolving. They biological cause of depression we have studied is the serotonin hypothesis. The wrap up depression is a chronic mental disorder that affects all areas of an individuals life. If both parents have bipolar disorder the likelihood of their child developing the illness. People with depression may also have changes in appetite leading to overeating or not eating enough. It proposes that low levels of serotonin are responsible for the low mood and other symptoms of depression. If one parent has bipolar disorder, there is a 10% chance that his or her child will develop the illness.

You may have a higher likelihood of experiencing a depressive disorder at some point in your. The biological medical model of abnormality makes the assumption that psychological and behavioural abnormalities have biological causes. Some people have an increased risk of developing depression, due to their genes, biology or personality type. In other words, things go wrong with behaviour and experience, because something has gone wrong with the brain. Below is a brief discussion of the multiple biological, psychological and social factors that have been identified as being related to the development of depression. It is accepted to think in modern psychiatry that the development of depression, as well as most of other mental disorders, requires the combined effect of three factors. Other biochemical compounds and peptides may also be involved in the etiology of some forms of mood disorders. There are several biological explanations of depression but today we will discuss 3 in particular. Finally, we discuss diseasespecificities and aetiological factors implicated in affected biological modules. Scientists at nimh and across the country are studying the causes of depression. With bipolar disorder, studies of families in which members of each generation develop bipolar disorders found that those with the illness have a somewhat.

Depression can occur along with other serious illnesses, such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and parkinsons disease. While a single, definitive culprit has yet to be discovered, researchers have identified multiple factors that can lead to depression. Mood disorders can cause changes in your behavior and can affect your ability to deal with routine activities, such as work or school. Biological causes of depression all about depression. It is the combination of stressors and a preexisting vulnerability, of nature and nurture, that causes disorder. Depression has been linked to problems or imbalances in the brain, specifically with the neurotransmitters serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. No one theory will completely explain the biological bases for depression because depression is really.

Medical model treating mental disorders simply psychology. Clinical depression consists of a group of disorders with various causes. Research suggests that a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors play a role in depression. Biology of depression neurotransmitters depression. Often, mcnally notes, mental illnesses are likely to have multiple causes, including genetic, biological and environmental factors. For some people, an upsetting or stressful life event, such as bereavement, divorce, illness, redundancy and job or money worries, can be the cause different causes can often combine to trigger depression. The causes of bipolar disorder and anxiety disorders may also be traced to a combination of genetic factors. This model has been adopted by psychiatrists rather than psychologists. Volume 84, issue 1, pages a1a12, e1e8, 176 1 july 2018. These factors can be grouped into two broad categories biology and psychology. Biology of depression neurotransmitters a literal ton of research has been done on the causes of depression. While the nervous system communicates with the rest of the body through electrical signals, the endocrine system communicates through.

These triggers are known to cause or contribute to neurotransmitter imbalances. Or it could mean that in some cases, the tendency to become depressed is almost completely genetic, and in other cases it is not really genetic at all. Here, we take a look at how these factors cause this condition. Supporters of the medical model consequently consider symptoms to be outward signs of the inner physical disorder and believe that if symptoms are grouped together and classified into a. Infowhat causes depression centre for clinical interventions. Depression may be caused by one factor alone or a combination of factors including biological, psychological and environmental linked to social or family environment factors. On their own, each one is a risk factor for depression. Biological, psychosocial, and spiritual dimensions and. Depression may be related to abnormalities in the circadian rhythm, or biological clock. Biological aspects of depression wiley online library. It can occur for a variety of reasons and it has many different triggers. This diathesis or genetic predisposition is not sufficient to cause depression itself until it is brought out by environmental stressors beck, 2008, scher et al. This disorder most often appears in late adolescence or early adulthood, although symptoms can begin at any time of life. Several lines of evidence suggest that the classic neurotransmitters, norepinephrine, acetylcholine, and serotonin, play important roles in the pathogenesis of depressive illness.

Of course, thats true for many chronic diseases, heart. One of the central findings of the large body of research that has examined the psychosocial causes, or etiology, of alcohol use is that there are multiple pathways to behavior that involves. It is estimated that 10% to 15% of the general population will experience clinical depression during their lifetime, and 5% of men and 9% of women will experience a depressive disorder in a given year, according to the world health organization. It is very difficult to actually measure the level of neurotransmitters in a persons brain and their activity. Some types of major depression run in families, suggesting that a biological vulnerability can be inherited. Major depression and genetics genetics of brain function. Depression also known as major depression or major depressive disorder is a psychiatric disorder that affects mood, behavior, and overall health. It causes prolonged feelings of sadness, emptiness, or hopelessness, and a loss of interest in activities that were once enjoyed.

Each type of depression is associated with different mixtures of causes. For example, rapid eye movement rem sleepthe stage in which dreaming occursmay be quick to arrive and intense in depressed people. In general, depression can be due to a number of factors including stresses which can range from mild to severe, combined with vulnerability or predisposition to depression that can result from biological, genetic or psychological factors. But before we dive into the 3 explanations, what exactly is meant by biological explanation of depression. Depression is a medical condition that many people are afflicted with, where some dont even realize they are suffering from it. Research suggests that depression doesnt spring from simply having too much or too little of certain brain chemicals. Major depressive disorder mdd is a common psychiatric illness with high levels of morbidity and mortality. The etiology of depression depression in parents, parenting, and. Pdf the problem of depression in adolescents is discussed increasingly more often. Webmd explains what research has discovered about the causes of depression from genetics to illnesses and medications to major life events. Genetic factors depression often runs in families, which suggests that individuals may inherit genes that make them vulnerable to. Biological substrates underpinning diagnosis of major depression. Rather, there are many possible causes of depression, including faulty mood regulation by the brain, genetic vulnerability, stressful life events, medications, and medical problems.