I recently came across a new study conducted by University College London, via reporting published by The Guardian, which stated that “there is no convincing evidence that depression is caused by serotonin abnormalities, particularly by lower levels or reduced activity of serotonin.” At face value, I worry that this report may do more harm than good.
We often talk about depression (and other mental illnesses) as being caused by a “chemical imbalance” such as by the neurotransmitter serotonin, which this report calls into question.
And, sure, perhaps that’s right; it could be that our established understanding of depression is incorrect and that with better understanding will come better treatment options, such as new treatments like ketamine infusions and psilocybin.
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