আজ ২৫শে কার্তিক, ১৪৩২ বঙ্গাব্দ, ১০ই নভেম্বর, ২০২৫ ইং

Depression: More Than a Chemical Imbalance

Prince Ghosh

For many years, scientists believed that depression was caused by “low serotonin.” But now, new research shows the main cause is not just low serotonin or a simple chemical imbalance in the brain. Using advanced brain-imaging, scientists have found that depression is linked to disrupted communication between brain regions, not only chemical changes.

Studies by the National Institute of Mental Health and published in Nature Medicine show that people with depression often have changes in brain circuits that control mood, emotion, and thinking. Treatments that focus on these brain networks—such as TMS (a gentle magnetic therapy) or neurofeedback (brain training)—are showing good results and bringing new hope for people with depression.

This doesn’t mean serotonin and other neurotransmitters are unimportant. They still play key roles in brain biology. The main takeaway is that scientists now see depression as a complex, network-based brain condition.

Experts say this discovery could transform how depression is treated in the future, focusing more on brain circuits instead of only on chemicals.

(Sources: Molecular Psychiatry, Nature Medicine, National Institute of Mental Health, 2024.)

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