Etiology of Depression: Genetic and Environmental Factors

Efficacy of currently available antidepressants and psychotherapy for treatment of depression is unacceptably low. Development of new treatments is dependent on a comprehensive understanding of genetic and environmental contributions to depression. The authors review new discoveries regarding brain alterations in depression including gene-environment interactions. They demonstrate how molecular neurobiology and structural and functional brain imaging techniques have helped to inform understanding of brain activities. They focus on the association between adverse life events including childhood maltreatment, genetic variations, and the risk for developing major depression, and they discuss how gene-environment interactions and epigenetic modifications may inform treatment choices and modalities.