In 2006, Duman et al. proposed “Neurotrophic Theory of Depression” [1]. According to the hypothesis, stress leads to a decrease in the expression of neurotrophic factors such as Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the limbic structure, and antidepressant therapy can partially reverse the effect caused by stress. The reduction of BDNF and other neurotrophic factors promotes the atrophy of certain brain structures, especially the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, while antidepressant treatment increases the level of BDNF in the brain, and improves synaptic plasticity and neuronal survival in related brain regions. Neurotrophic factors are a class of molecules that act on the nervous system and play an important role in maintaining cell function. They can regulate the growth, survival, differentiation and cell cycle of nerve cells. There is a hypothesis of neuroendocrine dysfunction in the neurobiochemical mechanism of depression, which is mainly the abnormal activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) and hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis (HPT). This article reviews the related research on depression and brain-derived neurotrophic factors in order to guide clinical research and treatment.
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