Webinar Notes: What Causes Depression?

*Crucial parts are recorded

*Sadness is not depression

Some evolutionary theories of depression: 

.Protection from negative outcomes

Standard definition of Major Depression:


DSM IV Major Depressive Episode [in Other Words, What Happens During a Depressive Episode]:

('5)psychomotor agitation or retardation
(6)fatigueor loss of energy nearly every day
(7)feelings of worthlessness

Is Depression a Serious Problem?:

Potentially Fatal
.Adolescents with major depression

Aetiology of Depression:

Genes and Environment;;

Genes; 30-50% of liability to depression is due to genetic factors

Gene-environment correlation; e.g. increased genetic liability for lifetime traumas

Gene-Environment interaction; different genotypes respond to environmental variability in different ways.

Sex and Pubertal Effects on Depression:
Differences in cognitive processing?

Greater Exposure or sensitivity to psychological stressors?
(of early childhood?)


Behavior Problems and Depression:

.Disruptive behavior -> Depression


Motivational and reward processing:

Depressed people have a harder time trying to put effort into receiving a reward. They have a harder time comprehending the meaning of the the reward, dispelling effort.



Summary of Causes for Depression:

.Shared genes, environment, active gene environment correlation, and a passive gene-environment correlation all are potential causes for depression.

Placebo gets 50% of depressed people to the 60% response rate seen with anti depressants (based on severity of depression?)