Depression research: where are we now?

Abstract

Extensive studies have led to a variety of hypotheses for the molecular basis of depression and related mood disorders, but a definite pathogenic mechanism has yet to be defined. The monoamine hypothesis, in conjunction with the efficacy of antidepressants targeting monoamine systems, has long been the central topic of depression research. While it is widely embraced that the initiation of antidepressant efficacy may involve acute changes in monoamine systems, apparently, the focus of current research is moving toward molecular mechanisms that underlie long-lasting downstream changes in the brain after chronic antidepressant treatment, thereby reaching for a detailed view of the pathophysiology of depression and related mood disorders. In this minireview, we briefly summarize major themes in current approaches to understanding mood disorders focusing on molecular views of depression and antidepressant action.