Research progress on non-biological mechanisms of depression

Background

Progress has been achieved in many fields in understanding the biological mechanisms of depression, including genome-wide association analysis, neurotransmitter system function, brain regions and neural networks, inflammatory response, neuroplasticity, neuroimaging, and neuro electrophysiology. These progresses provide a reliable basis for developing the medical and physical therapies for depression. However, the current treatments developed from biological mechanisms can only address less than 60 % of depressive symptoms and have limited efficacy in improving social functioning and reducing recurrence. Studies have explored the non-biological mechanisms of depression in mental fields. These progresses are helpful to develop more interventions that could alleviate depressive symptoms, improve functional impairments, and reduce recurrence, thereby promoting a more comprehensive recovery in depressed patients. However, there is not a systematic and deep review to highlight the non-biological mechanisms of depression.

Methods

This study summarizes the recent progress in the non-biological fields of depression by searching publications on human studies in PubMed, PMC, and Google Schooler with exclusion of animal studies.

Results

This study reviews the intergenerational transmission characteristics, the relationship between depression and emotional trauma, cognitive deficit, relationship impairment, self-function, sense of the meaning of life, motivation deficit, and psycho-rationality of depression.

Conclusions

This study was clarified the non-biological mechanisms and characteristics of depression and provided a theoretical basis for the development of non-drug interventions.