Biological depression

Can genetics cause depression? What is evolutionary depression? You may have heard that depression is the result of a simple imbalance of brain chemicals. Although brain chemicals are certainly part of the cause, this explanation is too simple. Even just considering the biological dimension of depression , the brain has multiple layers of issues that are involved.

In many cases, however, the depression is an independent problem, which means that in order to be successful, treatment must address depression directly.

Depression medications. Sometimes, symptoms of depression or mania are a side effect of certain drugs, such as steroids or blood pressure medication. Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression , it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems.

For example, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep—the stage in which dreaming occurs—may be quick to arrive and intense in depressed people. Biological causes of clinical depression continue to be studied extensively. 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.

WebMD explains what research has discovered about the causes of depression - from genetics to illnesses and medications to major life events. The document has moved here.

It can occur at any age from childhood to late life and is a tremendous cost to society as this disorder causes severe distress and disruption of life an if left untreate can be fatal. No biological tests confirm major depression. Biomarkers of depression have been sought to provide an objective method of diagnosis. Situational depression is vastly different from biological depression. With biological depression , you would be trapped in a state of depression regardless if whether or not you were living in a mansion with no worries or if you had every worry in the world.

But before we dive into the explanations, what exactly is meant by biological explanation of depression ? There are several biological explanations of depression but today we will discuss in particular. Sometimes people say they think they were born with depression or have always felt sad since they were young. While the exact cause of depression is unknown, it has been suggested that a combination of biological factors and environmental stressors contribute to the onset and progression of the disorder 2. Research suggests that a combination of genetic, biological , environmental, and psychological factors play a role in depression. Current research suggests that depression is caused by a combination of genetic, biological , environmental, and psychological factors.

In short, depression is a mental illness that is distinctly biological and there are several aspects of the biological causes that will be discussed. In determining the biological roots of depressive disorders, certain imaging techniques, such as MRI, can yield powerful insight into how our brains function and how depression , on a chemical and. However, Freud also argued that some cases of depression could be linked to loss or rejection by a parent. Medical conditions and the medications use to treat them can be causes of depression. Serious, chronic illnesses like cancer, diabetes, and Parkinson’s disease (to name just a few) can lead to depression or worsen existing depression.

If you or a loved one has depression , you might wonder whether the condition is curable. Unfortunately, there is no clear-cut answer here.

Just as depression itself is complex, so is the timeline. People who suffer from depression have low levels of these two neurotransmitters, and this is thought to lead to the main symptoms of low moo owe-energy, depressed outlook on life, disturbed sleep and a low drive or arousal which relates back to the definition of depression. The strengths of the biological perspective that relate to. Khan Academy is a nonprofit with the mission of providing a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere.

This seems to be the case more so with certain types of mental illness, such as bipolar. Endogenous depression occurs without the presence of stress or trauma. In other words, it has no apparent outside cause.

Instea it may be primarily caused by genetic and biological factors. An abstract is unavailable. This article is available as a PDF only.