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Title: Monoamine Hypothesis of Depression
Description: These notes are written in an essay format aimed at helping you to prepare for essay exams. This document reviews the monoamine hypothesis of depression. The evidence for this model are presented and limitations are discussed. This study guide was formulated in preparation for the Pharmacotherapy final exam in the Mental Health Studies Masters programme at King's College London. Though geared toward a postgraduate audience, the concepts are well outlined and would be suitable for an undergraduate.

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Describe one biological model of a particular mental illness
...
This biological model states that depression is caused

by underactivity of the monoamines in the brain such as serotonin (5HT), norepinephrine

(noreadrenaline), and dopamine
...
, 1950)
...


These agents that elevate the levels of the aforementioned neurotransmitters in the brain have shown

to be effective in the alleviation of depressive symptoms
...
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) work by

preventing the reuptake of serotonin, Noreadrenergic Reuptake Inhibitors (NARI) blocking the reuptake

of noradrenaline, Serotonin Noradrenaline Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRI) block reuptake of both serotonin

and noradrenaline, noradrenergic and selective serotonin antidepressants (NASSA) work by blocking the

auto receptor off switch, preventing a neuron from ‘turning off’ the release of 5ht and na, and

monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOI) work by blocking the monoamine oxidase enzyme from removing

noradrenaline, serotonin, and dopamine
...


Though pharmaceutical companies have attempted to formulate antidepressants that work via a

different mechanism of action, they have been unsuccessful
...
, 2012)
...
5% (Hollon et al
...
While this provides further

support for the monoamine hypothesis, true understanding of the etiology of depression has been

hampered by the absence of direct measurements of monoamines in humans
...


Experiments with pharmacological agents that cause depletion of monoamines have shown that the

depletion does not cause depression in health people nor does it worsen symptoms in depressed

patients (Delgado, 2000)
...


Another limitation is in the delay between initiating treatment with antidepressants and

subjective mood improvement in patients
...


Lastly, the largest limitation of the monoamine hypothesis is the it largely dismissed social and

psychological factors that contribute to the development of depression
...
, 2006)
...


The monoamine hypothesis also fails to consider personality traits
...
Higher levels

of this trait correspond to an earlier onset (Bukh, 2011)
...
The relationship is not linear
...
(2003), ties together the biological factors of the

hypothesis and the missing psychological link
...
Specifically, depression

seems especially likely to follow stressful life events in people with one or two short alleles of the gene
...


The monoamine hypothesis is seductive in that is it parsimonious and it fits well with current

methods of treatment
...
While recovery rates are high, so is the rate of those

who do not get better after antidepressant treatment
...
The monoamine hypothesis may in fact be too simple for the

complexity that is the human brain
Title: Monoamine Hypothesis of Depression
Description: These notes are written in an essay format aimed at helping you to prepare for essay exams. This document reviews the monoamine hypothesis of depression. The evidence for this model are presented and limitations are discussed. This study guide was formulated in preparation for the Pharmacotherapy final exam in the Mental Health Studies Masters programme at King's College London. Though geared toward a postgraduate audience, the concepts are well outlined and would be suitable for an undergraduate.