Major Depressive Disorder: Comprehensive Overview of Causes, Treatment, and Outcomes
What Is Major Depressive Disorder and How Does It Affect People?
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is characterized by persistent depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure in previously enjoyable activities, recurrent thoughts of death, and physical and cognitive symptoms. According to this comprehensive 2023 Nature Reviews Disease Primers overview, people with MDD experience reduced quality of life due to the disorder itself as well as related medical comorbidities, social factors, and impaired functional outcomes. MDD is a complex disorder that cannot be fully explained by any single biological or environmental pathway.