Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion and Population Health
Population Health Research Brief Series
The End of the “Chemical Imbalance” Theory of Depression - What Now?
Austin McNeill Brown
January 2023
Abstract
For decades, those diagnosed with depression have been told they suffer from a “chemical imbalance.” This explanation involves neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, thought to be the main neurochemical responsible for major depressive disorders. Growing research challenges this theory and the need for medication therapies for depressive symptoms. This brief summarizes new findings examining the theory that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance and calls for healthcare professionals and patients to consider the market influences and social structures that impact health.