#16: Serotonin and Depression
Episode description
Depression is a worldwide issue experienced by hundreds of millions. For years, the main theory of what was going wrong in the brain focused on the neurotransmitter serotonin. This theory is called the serotonin hypothesis, and it's based on a number of data points. But recently, researchers have questioned whether serotonin plays a central or even a major role in depression at all. In this episode, I explore:
-The current landscape of depression
-The serotonin hypothesis and issues with it
-The recent publication "The serotonin theory of depression: a systematic umbrella review of the evidence" From Nature's Molecular Psychiatry
-Other systems involved in the brain in depression like neuroplasticity, inflammation and the endocrine system
-How this research links to diet, exercise and other lifestyle factors
-Where we need to go next
Let me know what you think!