Neurobiology of depression: A neurodevelopmental approach

Abstract

Objectives: The main aims of this paper are to review and evaluate the neurobiology of the depressive syndrome from a neurodevelopmental perspective.

Methods: An English language literature search was performed using PubMed.

Results: Depression is a complex syndrome that involves anatomical and functional changes that have an early origin in brain development. In subjects with genetic risk for depression, early stress factors are able to mediate not only the genetic risk but also gene expression. There is evidence that endocrine and immune interactions have an important impact on monoamine function and that the altered monoamine signalling observed in the depressive syndrome has a neuro-endocrino-immunological origin early in the development.

Conclusions: Neurodevelopment is a key aspect to understand the whole neurobiology of depression.

Keywords: Depression; gene–environment interaction; neurobiology; neurodevelopment; neuropathology.