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Review ArticleMechanisms of DiseaseFree Preview

Major Depressive Disorder

List of authors.
  • R.H. Belmaker, M.D.,
  • and Galila Agam, Ph.D.

This review of major depressive disorder is a comprehensive account of the genetic, biochemical, and neurophysiological changes that have been implicated in the disorder. No single mechanism can account for all the clinical variations in this condition. The monoamine oxidase theory can explain many of the actions of antidepressants, but genetic factors, stress, and psychosocial factors also play a part in depression.

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Funding and Disclosures

No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

We thank Herman van Praag, who inspired our work on depression over the course of three decades.

Author Affiliations

From Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheba, Israel.

Address reprint requests to Dr. Belmaker at Beersheba Mental Health Center, P.O. Box 4600, Beersheba, Israel, or at .

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