Underlying causes of major depressive disorder (MDD) remain an enigma. A major gain
of uncovering mechanisms leading to this devastating disorder will be the prevention
of suicide, the worst outcome of MDD. In the search to understand the neurobiology
of MDD, several promising hypotheses have been formulated. These hypotheses are largely
focused on alterations in monoaminergic neurotransmission, trophic factor signaling,
neurogenesis, and glial development and transport. However, recent evidence may potentially
bring together all of these hypotheses and offer a basis for understanding the complexity
of MDD. This process involves epigenetic gene regulation and provides a nexus for
gene/environment interaction, both of which are known to increase the risk for MDD.
In addition, epigenetic mechanisms are accessible therapeutic targets that are already
in development for many diverse diseases, including certain types of cancer and neurodegenerative
disorders.
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References
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
August 25,
2009
Received:
August 24,
2009
Identification
Copyright
© 2009 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
