Abstract

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a genetically complicated disease and modulated by environment. A lot of mounting evidence suggests that circulating levels of peripheral biomarkers including growth factors, inflammatory cytokines, endocrine factors, and metabolic factors are changed and reversed by antidepressants in a state of MDD. Many studies identified specific region of genes and contributable alleles for MDD expression. Although there are many problems to be resolved, these approaches based on gene interaction and biological analysis suggest new and perspective investigation of diagnosis, treatment, and pathophysiology of MDD. (Korean J Str Res 2012;20:247∼255)

• Keywords: Major depressive disorder, Biomarker, Diagnosis;