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Advanced Neurology Depression and its risk factors in India

4. Discussion long-term, hindering their ability to assert themselves,
pursue goals, and engage in social activities. These effects
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4.1. Consequences of depression highlight the deep interconnection between mental health,
Depression can have profound consequences across various stress, and overall well-being, emphasizing the urgent need
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aspects of an individual’s life. It significantly impairs one’s to address mental health issues and reduce the burden of
quality of life, diminishing their ability to engage in daily suicide in the country. The multidimensional consequences
activities, maintain relationships, and pursue personal of depression require a comprehensive, individualized
and professional goals. Depressive symptoms often strain framework, integrating psychotherapy, medication, and
interpersonal relationships, leading to conflicts with family, support from mental health professionals and loved ones.
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friends, and coworkers. Meanwhile, social withdrawal and Early intervention is crucial for mitigating the impact of
isolation exacerbate feelings of loneliness and alienation. depression on an individual’s life.
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In the workplace, depression can impair cognitive abilities In conclusion, understanding the factors that exacerbate
and decision-making, resulting in reduced productivity, the risk of depression is crucial. This review highlighted
absenteeism, or even job loss, 139,140 which can cause financial the involvement of a range of factors that can broadly be
strain due to increased healthcare expenses and loss of
income. Individuals may even turn to alcohol or drugs as categorized into two categories: internal and external
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a coping mechanism, which can worsen the situation and factors. Internal factors, such as genetic variants, epigenetic
lead to addiction. Research has also shown that wives changes, and serum marker levels, play a foundational
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of alcoholic men are particularly stressed and more likely role in determining an individual’s predisposition to
to experience symptoms of depression, highlighting the depression. Meanwhile, external factors include an array of
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intricate links between mental health, substance use, and influences such as lifestyle and environmental conditions
social dynamics. and can significantly amplify this predisposition among
individuals. While we cannot alter our genetic makeup,
Apart from their social life, individuals with depression we can take proactive steps to minimize the impact of
often exhibit changes to their brain structure, such as the environmental factors, thereby reducing the overall risk
shrinking of the hippocampus, the part of the brain that of depression (Figure 6). This approach empowers us to
governs memory creation and recall. In addition, a study control the factors we can influence, paving the way for
found that individuals with depression had an increased better mental health outcomes.
thickness in the left inferior parietal gyrus, a brain
area involved in processing emotions and thoughts. 4.2. Strengths, limitations, and future perspective
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Furthermore, there is a concerning link between The study’s strengths lie in its comprehensive examination of
depression, brain structure, and the risk of attempting research on MDD in India, covering prevalence, diagnostic
suicide. Researchers have observed that people who tools, environmental stressors, genetic factors, comorbidities,
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have attempted suicide due to depression tend to have and their implications. It emphasizes the unique impact of
lower levels of gray matter in the ventral striatum, a depression on Indian women, given the influence of gender-
region associated with motivation and reward, which may specific factors. Advanced methodologies, such as CGAS,
contribute to feelings of hopelessness. 146,147 can enrich our understanding of genetic contributions

As discussed above, chronic depression is also to depression. Nevertheless, this study emphasizes the
associated with various physical health problems, continued need for a deeper understanding of depression
including cardiovascular issues, weakened immunity, in India, given its potential impact on the nation’s economy,
sleep disturbances, and chronic pain, highlighting education, and overall development.
the interconnectedness of mental and physical well- This review has several limitations. The sole reliance
being. 127-129,148 Severe depression significantly increases the on existing research might introduce a lag in capturing
risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, necessitating rapid real-time changes, and the failure to account for regional
recognition and intervention to ensure safety. It has also variations within India could limit the generalizability
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been observed that mean serum kynurenine levels are of the findings. While the review acknowledges the
significantly higher in patients with depression and suicidal complexity of addressing the cultural differences that shape
ideation compared with those without such ideation. mental health perspectives, it provides limited suggestions
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Despite India’s 2019 suicide rate ranking of 49 globally at for specific interventions.
14.04 attempts/100,000 people, the country consistently
reports the highest number of suicides each year. 150,151 Depression has far-reaching consequences, affecting
Persistent feelings of worthlessness and self-blame can quality of life, relationships, and work productivity,
erode an individual’s self-esteem and confidence in the emphasizing the urgent need for effective interventions.

Volume 4 Issue 3 (2025) 48 doi: 10.36922/an.5940