What does the monoamine hypothesis suggest about depression?

The monoamine hypothesis of depression posits that a deficiency in the availability of certain neurotransmitters, particularly serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine, contributes to the development of depressive symptoms. This theory emerged from the observation that medications increasing the levels of these neurotransmitters can alleviate depression. When these monoamines are in lower amounts, it is thought that signaling pathways associated with mood regulation are disrupted, leading to symptoms of depression.

This hypothesis provides a biochemical basis for understanding the condition and forms the foundation for many antidepressant treatments, which aim to enhance the activity of these neurotransmitters in the brain. Thus, the key idea behind the monoamine hypothesis is the correlation between low levels of these specific neurotransmitters and the occurrence of depressive symptoms.