Reviewer: Xueling Yang (Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University)
Have you ever wondered what causes depression? Why some people get depressed and others don’t.
Depression is an extremely complex disorder. No one knows the exact cause, but depression can be caused by a combination of factors.
Some people develop depression during the course of a major illness; some develop depression due to events such as moving house or the death of a loved one; others have a family history of depression; others Depression occurs for no reason. Sadness and loneliness are overwhelming.
1. What are the main causes of depression?
There are many factors that can increase the risk of depression, including the following.
Abusive. Past physical, sexual or emotional abuse can increase the likelihood of depression later in life.
Specific drugs. Some medications, such as isotretinoin (used to treat acne), the antiviral drug interferon alfa, and corticosteroids, can increase the risk of depression.
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Conflict. Depression in people who are biologically prone to depression may stem from personal conflict or arguments with family members or friends.
The death or loss of a loved one. The death or loss of a loved one can cause grief and grief, which is normal, but can also increase the risk of depression.
Inheritance. A family history of depression increases risk. Depression is often thought of as a complex disorder, meaning that there may be many different genes, each with a small role, rather than a single gene that contributes to disease risk.
As with most psychiatric disorders, the inheritance of depression is not as simple or straightforward as a purely genetic disorder such as Huntington’s disease or cystic fibrosis.
Major events. Depression can be caused by positive events such as starting a new job, graduating, and getting married, as can moving house, losing a job or income, getting divorced, or retiring. However, depression is by no means just a “normal” response to stressful life events.
Other personal questions. Problems with social isolation or expulsion from a family or social group due to mental illness can increase the risk of depression.
Critical illness. Sometimes depression coexists with a major illness, or may be triggered by another illness.
Substance abuse such as drugs. About 30% of people with drug, alcohol, or substance abuse problems also suffer from major depression.
2. What is the connection between biology and depression?
Researchers have found that the brains of people with depression are different from those of people without depression. The hippocampus, for example, a small area of the brain that is critical for memory storage, appears to be smaller in a subset of people with a history of depression than in people who have never experienced depression.
The small hippocampus contains fewer serotonin receptors. Serotonin receptors are one of many brain chemicals called neurotransmitters that enable circuits that connect different areas of the brain involved in emotional processing to communicate.
Scientists don’t yet understand why some people with depression have smaller hippocampi. Some researchers have found that people with depression produce high levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
Researchers believe that cortisol has a toxic or “atrophic” effect on the development of the hippocampus. Some experts have theorized that people with depression are born with a smaller hippocampus, which makes them prone to depression.
There are many other brain regions and pathways between specific regions that are thought to be involved in depression. It is therefore very likely that there is no single brain structure or pathway that fully explains depression.
But what is certain is that depression is a complex disorder that is affected by many factors.
New scans and research into brain structure and function have found that antidepressants can exert “neurotrophic effects,” meaning they maintain nerve cells, prevent cell death, and allow They build stronger connections that can withstand biological stress.
As scientists learn more about the causes of depression, health professionals will make better “custom” diagnoses, which will allow them to develop more effective treatment plans.
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3. How heredity and inhibitionDepression risk linked?
We know that depression sometimes runs in families. This suggests that depression is at least genetically linked. Children, siblings and parents of severely depressed people are more likely to suffer from depression than the average family member.
Multiple genes that interact in specific ways may contribute to different types of depression that run in families. While there is evidence that depression runs in families, it is unlikely that there is a single “depressed” gene; it is more likely that there are multiple genes that each exert a small effect on depression when interacting with the environment.
4. Can drugs cause depression?
Medications can cause depression in some people. For example, drugs such as barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and the acne drug isotretinoin are sometimes associated with depression, especially in older adults.
Similarly, corticosteroids, opioids (codeine, morphine), and anticholinergics used to relieve stomach cramps can sometimes cause mood changes and fluctuations.
5. What is the relationship between depression and chronic diseases?
In some populations, chronic illnesses can cause depression. Chronic diseases last very long and often cannot be completely cured. However, chronic diseases can often be managed with diet, exercise, lifestyle habits, and medication.
Some chronic diseases that can cause depression include diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, kidney disease, AIDS, lupus, and multiple sclerosis (MS). Hypothyroidism may cause depression.
Researchers believe that treating depression may sometimes lead to remission of comorbid conditions.
6. Is depression related to chronic pain?
Pain can be called “chronic” when it persists for weeks or even months. Chronic pain is not just painful, it disrupts sleep, exercise and mobility, disrupts relationships, and reduces productivity.
For chronic pain and depression, coping strategies exist, including medication, psychotherapy, support groups, and others. A multidimensional medication plan can help manage pain, relieve depression and get your life back on track On track.
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7. Does depression often appear together with grief?
Grief is a normal response to loss. Losses that lead to grief include the death or separation of a loved one, job loss, the death or loss of a pet, or other life changes, such as divorce, becoming an “empty nester” or retirement.
Anyone experiences grief and loss, but not everyone experiences clinical depression. Clinical depression is different from grief: Depression includes a range of other symptoms, such as feelings of worthlessness, pessimism about the future, and suicide, whereas grief includes feelings of emptiness, loss, and nostalgia for loved ones, with an unaffected ability to feel happy. Everyone treats these emotions differently.
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