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Biological Basis Of Depression

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The Bases of Depression
Emotions are important and unavoidable attributes of human nature. Because of them, we gain individuality; they shape us and make us who we are. We don’t even count or realize how many times during a day we feel happiness or sadness, or even anger and sorrow. We equally experience positive and negative emotions, and it is natural. Normally the feelings can last for a couple of hours to several days. However, if negative emotions last too long they can possibly result in depression. The American Psychiatric Association defines depression as common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how an individual feels, the way he/she thinks and acts, which can lead …show more content…

Studies on adopted children with biological parents that had depression support the idea that it is more likely that a person will develop depression at one point of life if his/her blood relative once suffered from this illness. The contribution of the genetic factor to the etiology of depression is obvious, but at the same time the method of inheritance is still complex and unclear. For now, we have failed to pinpoint the actual DNA sequence or location of potential depression genes since it is in fact quite difficult. It is most likely that genes do not directly cause depression, but act as a trigger to some biological situations, which causes it by initiating overproduction or decrease of certain neurobiological …show more content…

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