There is definitely a biological basis for depression. While depression cannot be limited to a single cause, there are biological factors at play, and neuroscience plays an important role in the prevalence of depression. Depression is a neurological disorder, related to the nervous system, more than just a mood disorder. To treat depression, one needs to understand the impact depression has on the brain.
If you or a loved one are currently struggling with depression, depressed moods, or another mental illness, AMFM Mental Health Treatment provides mental health programming designed to address the biological factors of depression. Call today to learn if your insurance provider covers depression treatment.
Depression impacts the neurotransmitters that transmit dopamine and serotonin to the brain. By understanding the neurobiology involved in depression, doctors can prescribe antidepressants that address these particular neurons.
In depressed individuals, elevated or increased cortisol levels can impact moods and stress responses. Incorporating daily activities like yoga and meditation can help lower cortisol levels.
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If we are not an appropriate provider for care, we will assist in finding a care provider that can help.
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a mood disorder that is known for causing persistent sadness, a loss of interest in pleasurable activities, and a range of other emotional and physical symptoms. Major depressive disorder (MDD) has been ranked as the third cause of the burden of disease worldwide.4 Symptoms of major depression can affect your daily routine, relationships, and overall quality of life.
Clinical depression can affect individuals of varying ages and other demographics. While depression is more commonly diagnosed among women, men may experience more stigma regarding mental health difficulties, which prevents them from seeking help. Causes of depression can vary, including generics, experiences you’ve had in life, and a chemical imbalance within your brain. Depression therapy can help you in overcoming depression and may include the use of depression medications and holistic therapies.
Psychiatry and pharmacology play an important role in depression treatment; there are a variety of different antidepressant medications that have been proven as effective treatment (in combination with psychological treatment) for depression. Some types of antidepressants are listed here, but inquire with a licensed medical professional or psychiatrist for detailed information on different treatments. Never take psychiatric medication unless it is prescribed to you, and be sure to consult with medical professionals in case of external risk factors.
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) and Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs) are antidepressant medications that treat different neurotransmitters in order to block the reabsorption of serotonin or norepinephrine, keeping more of the chemicals in the synaptic cleft. Both are effective treatments for depression, but depend upon the individual, and should be approached with medical guidance and professional advice.
Perforated St-John’s Wort is also known as an over-the-counter medication to help treat mild to moderate depression, but can cause side effects, particularly in combination with other medications. If you’re currently on medications for any other medical conditions, it’s important to review any over-the-counter medications and their interactions with a medical professional. Click here to learn more about the importance of medication management.
Depression can present differently among those experiencing depressive symptoms. There are several forms of depression, each of which have their own features and recommended treatments. While this is not an exhaustive list of mental health depression conditions, it does highlight some of the most common:
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Over a thousand studies have been conducted on the genetic and biological basis of depression, major depressive disorder, and other depressive disorders. These biological studies have spanned analyses of candidate genes, genome-wide association studies, genome-wide sequencing, family and twin studies. They’ve evaluated the significance of particular genetic variations that signal increased risk of depression. If you have close relatives and family members who are diagnosed with depression, you or a loved one may have a predisposition to developing psychiatric disorders, particularly in the face of stressful life events.
All have concluded that the contribution of genetic factors to the risk of the onset of Depressive Disorders is quite large.5 However, they have also found that while major depression is a familial disorder, and its familiality mostly or entirely results from genetic influences; the development of depression also relies on environmental factors specific to an individual.6 Because major depression is a complex disorder, it results from a combination of both environmental and genetic influences–these results and findings are not mutually exclusive. A family history of depression, in combination with external stressor, can contribute to the prevalence of depression.
Most recently, researchers used a meta-analysis to report “a genome-wide significant locus for depression that implicates genes that are highly plausible for involvement in the etiology of recurrent depression.”7 While they did not locate the exact genetic components, or a “depression gene,” the increased data and information helped to point them into a closer direction of which chromosomes are affected specifically in the heritability of depression.
Yes, most health insurance companies provide some form of coverage for depression treatment. This often includes both inpatient and outpatient care, depending on your symptoms. Coverage generally applies to therapy, counseling, and medication management services. Your plan may have limitations, exclusions, or required authorizations.
We encourage you to verify your coverage with AMFM Mental Health Treatment to understand the full scope of your benefits. This is especially true if you’re looking for specific treatments, like postpartum depression treatments or persistent depressive disorder treatment options.
What to Expect
Insurance Verification
Our team will verify if your insurance provider is in-network with an AMFM Healthcare Facility.
Contact From Admission Representative:
Expect a call within an hour from an admissions representative to discuss treatment options.
A Mission For Michael (AMFM) provides treatment for adults experiencing various conditions. Depression support is a phone call away – call 866-478-4383 to learn about our current treatment options.
See our residences in Southern California’s Orange County & San Diego County.
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View our facilities in Fairfax County, VA within the DC metro area.
It’s both. Depression is influenced by brain biology (neurotransmitters, stress hormones, and brain-circuit changes) and also by psychological and environmental factors like stress, trauma, and life circumstances.
Commonly discussed regions include the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus (part of the limbic system), which are involved in mood regulation, threat response, and memory/emotion processing.
Depression can involve disrupted neurotransmitter signaling, including pathways related to serotonin and dopamine; many antidepressants aim to influence these systems.
Higher cortisol levels (a stress hormone) can affect mood and stress responsiveness. Reducing chronic stress and using relaxation-based practices may support healthier cortisol patterns.
Family and genetic studies suggest genetics can raise vulnerability, especially with a family history, but genes aren’t destiny—environmental factors and stressors also play a major role.
Therapy (including CBT) can help by changing patterns that reinforce stress and negative thinking, and it’s commonly used alongside other treatments for depression.
AMFM Mental Health Treatment has extensive experience treating a variety of mental health disorders beyond depression through evidence-based therapies, including but not limited to the following:
Recovery can feel isolating; mental health programming can provide cohesive treatment plans to help you or your loved one as you move forward.
Smoski MJ, Felder J, Bizzell J, Green SR, Ernst M, Lynch TR, Dichter GS. fMRI of alterations in reward selection, anticipation, and feedback in major depressive disorder. J Affect Disord. 2009 Nov;118(1-3):69-78. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2009.01.034. Epub 2009 Mar 3. PMID: 19261334; PMCID: PMC2745481.
Jacob, Y., Morris, L.S., Verma, G. et al. Altered hippocampus and amygdala subregion connectome hierarchy in major depressive disorder. Transl Psychiatry 12, 209 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-022-01976-0
Pizzagalli, D.A., Roberts, A.C. Prefrontal cortex and depression. Neuropsychopharmacol. 47, 225–246 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41386-021-01101-7
Bains N, Abdijadid S. Major Depressive Disorder. [Updated 2023 Apr 10]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559078/
Shadrina M, Bondarenko EA, Slominsky PA. Genetics Factors in Major Depression Disease. Front Psychiatry. 2018 Jul 23;9:334. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00334. PMID: 30083112; PMCID: PMC6065213.
Sullivan PF, Neale MC, Kendler KS. Genetic epidemiology of major depression: review and meta-analysis. Am J Psychiatry. 2000 Oct;157(10):1552-62. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.157.10.1552. PMID: 11007705.
Breen G, Webb BT, Butler AW, van den Oord EJ, Tozzi F, Craddock N, Gill M, Korszun A, Maier W, Middleton L, Mors O, Owen MJ, Cohen-Woods S, Perry J, Galwey NW, Upmanyu R, Craig I, Lewis CM, Ng M, Brewster S, Preisig M, Rietschel M, Jones L, Knight J, Rice J, Muglia P, Farmer AE, McGuffin P. A genome-wide significant linkage for severe depression on chromosome 3: the depression network study. Am J Psychiatry. 2011 Aug;168(8):840-7. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2011.10091342. Epub 2011 May 15. PMID: 21572164.
