Major depressive disorder (MDD) – Neurobiology and aetiology

Apart from the factors and mechanisms outlined on the slide, the onset and continuity of MDD are also influenced by:¹

• Epigenetic mechanisms, which might mediate gene-environment interactions
• Alterations in brain structures and function, particularly in the pre-frontal co…

The risk of major depressive disorder (MDD) is determined by the combination of biological susceptibility and the risk or protective factors present in the environment.¹ The effect of risk or protective factors may be specific to a particular context or time, and any one …

Animal (e.g., mice) models to study depression (typically the forced swim test [FST], the tail suspension test [TST] and the sucrose preference test) are mostly based on the induction of biological or behavioural changes seen in people with MDD using a psychosocial or bio…

Discrete time-limited pulses of neural gene expression in response to immediate experiences are called the genomic action potential (the gAP).² The gAP affects the proteins, RNA, and chromatin structure in the cells of the nervous system, thus influencing how the cells wi…

Clinically relevant markers that could help guide treatment decision-making in first-episode of major depressive disorder (MDD) continue to be scarce.¹ The discovery of new treatments and patient care optimization is further complicated by the heterogeneity of MDD disease…

Since 2013, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have provided significant insight into the mechanisms underlying major depressive disorder (MDD) and its genetic risk factors.⁵ They have estimated the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based heritability of MDD to be …

The identification of genes implicated in the development of MDD is key for elucidating the mechanisms linking genetic variation to MDD, and for finding new treatment targets in people with MDD.³ However, the complex associations of the molecular pathways determining ment…

While some risk and protective factors directly affect the pathophysiological processes of major depressive disorder (MDD), their interpretation is not straightforward.¹ Moreover, the relationship of many of them with MDD is bidirectional: for example, low socioeconomic s…

Apart from the environmental factors outlined on the slide, deficiencies in nutrients such as protein, B vitamins, vitamin D, magnesium, zinc, selenium, iron, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids may also influence the risk of developing depressive symptoms; however, addition…

Inflammatory dysregulation may be an important factor driving major depressive disorder (MDD). A large meta-analysis showed increased levels of pro-inflammatory markers (e.g., interleukin-6 [IL-6], tumour necrosis factor-ɑ and C-reactive protein [CRP]) and reduced levels …

Decision-making is a complex process; additional translational research is required to elucidate the network and connectivity characteristics of identified variations in neural substrates, and the molecular underpinnings of these variations.¹ Potential molecular factors i…