Major Depressive Disorder: Advances in Neuroscience Research and Translational Applications

• Published in: Neuroscience bulletin Vol. 37; no. 6; pp. 863 - 880
• Main Authors: Li, Zezhi, Ruan, Meihua, Chen, Jun, Fang, Yiru
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Singapore Springer Singapore 01-06-2021; Springer
• Subjects: Anatomy; Anesthesiology; Antidepressants, Tricyclic; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Care and treatment; Development and progression; Human Physiology; Major depressive disorder; Medical colleges; Medical research; Medicine, Experimental; Mental illness; Neurology; Neurophysiology; Neurosciences; Pain Medicine; Psychotherapy; Review; Progress; Treatment; Pathogenesis; Major depressive disorder
• ISSN: 1673-7067; 1995-8218
• DOI: 10.1007/s12264-021-00638-3

Major depressive disorder (MDD), also referred to as depression, is one of the most common psychiatric disorders with a high economic burden. The etiology of depression is still not clear, but it is generally believed that MDD is a multifactorial disease caused by the interaction of social, psychological, and biological aspects. Therefore, there is no exact pathological theory that can independently explain its pathogenesis, involving genetics, neurobiology, and neuroimaging. At present, there are many treatment measures for patients with depression, including drug therapy, psychotherapy, and neuromodulation technology. In recent years, great progress has been made in the development of new antidepressants, some of which have been applied in the clinic. This article mainly reviews the research progress, pathogenesis, and treatment of MDD.