New study fails to prove link between depression and serotonin deficiency

For the past decades, the scientific community has opinionsthat one of the main causes of depression is a chemical imbalance. It changes the metabolism of hormones, including those responsible for regulating mood. An analysis of scientific articles investigating the relationship between depression and serotonin showed that so far not a single work has fully confirmed this hypothesis. About it writesThe serotonin theory of depression: a systematic umbrella review of the evidence Molecular Psychiatry.

Most modern antidepressants work on the principle of serotonin reuptake. The active substance helps the mood regulating hormone to be produced correctly in the human body. However, a number of studies that have drawn the attention of scientists have shown that the work neurotransmittersBiologically active chemicals through which an electrochemical impulse is transmitted from a nerve cell, as well as from neurons to muscle tissue.

may not greatly affect a person's mental state, even if he takes antidepressants.

In addition, the researchers found no correlation between the development of depressive episodes and the quality of the work of neurotransmitters. Experiments in which subjects were asked to follow a strict diet with reduced tryptophan (from serotonin is produced), showed that not all participants in the observations developed symptoms depression.

The scientists also identified a separate category of studies in which the relationship between serotonin and mental health was actually observed. But the authors of these observations did not take into account that some participants took antidepressants with different active ingredients.

At the same time, researchers were able to prove that the tendency to depressive disorders can be due to genetics. For example, some people have genetic disorders in the metabolism of proteins responsible for the production of serotonin.

The authors conclude that it is not entirely correct to attribute all responsibility for depression to a chemical imbalance. There are many more nuances here, and they will be learned in the future thanks to new research.