Depression Believe it or not, depression is one of the most commonly treated conditions in a general medical practice. We take great care when evaluating patients who we suspect are depressed to rule-out thyroid problems, infections, tumors, diabetes, drug abuse, alcoholism, etc. before we conclude that depression is, in fact, the cause of the patient's symptoms. It is very important to appreciate that depression is not a disorder of poor character.
Depression is caused by imbalances in the level of chemicals within the nerves of the brain.
In order for these nerve inputs to function adequately, a chemical called serotonin is required. Serotonin is responsible for the full amplitude of one nerve's impulse being transmitted to the nerve next to it. If, due to serotonin deficiency, the amplitude of these impulses is not sustained from nerve to nerve, all the way up to the brain's mood center, by the time nerve impulses reach the mood center their amplitude is very weak, and the mood center receives inadequate stimulation, resulting in depression. Raising serotonin levels, as we will see, is one of the ways we treat depression. Genetic factors are also involved in the etiology of depression since the incidence of depression in the family members of an affected individual is higher than in the general population.