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Biochemical correlates of depression

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

The monoamine theory of depression proposes that serotonin and noradrenalin function are reduced in depression.

The evidence is indirect but there are four main findings:

  • levels of the metabolite of serotonin (5HIAA) are reduced in the CSF of patients with depression
  • post-mortem studies of patients dying with depression show reduced levels of serotonin
  • neurendocrine functions mediated by serotonin are suppressed in depression
  • selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are effective antidepressant drugs

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