Hi! I'm Lila Urogdy, and I study neuroscience at the University of Michigan. Welcome to my podcast, where I break down topics related to neuroscience, psychology, and mental health in order to make science more accessible to the general public.

In this episode, I discuss the history and evolution of our understanding of depression and its treatment. I talk about the transition from viewing mental illness as a moral or religious failing to viewing it as a complex combination of biology, genetics, psychology, and environment. I also discuss the efficacy of SSRIs for treating depression, as well as newer treatments in the field.

If you want to learn more, have any episode ideas, or have any questions for me, feel free to email me at neurobitespodcast@gmail.com or reach out through Instagram at neuro_bites_podcast.

Here are some links if you're interested in learning more. Some are sources used for this episode and others are just interesting, easily digestible websites and videos you can check out if you're interested in learning more!

Etymology of melancholia:

https://www.etymonline.com/word/melancholia

Video about ECT:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGjFeBoyp1s

Current recommendations for treating depression from the APA:

https://www.apa.org/depression-guideline/adults

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4592645/#sec3

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31995137/

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5007563/

https://www.dea.gov/factsheets/ketamine

https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/electroconvulsive-therapy/about/pac-20393894

History of depression:

https://www.verywellmind.com/who-discovered-depression-1066770