It would be appealing to attempt to categorize depression
in terms of monoamine-depletion forms
that are perhaps related to genes coding for enzymes
involved in neurotransmission and cortisolrelated
forms that are characterized by a more
long-term course, hippocampal atrophy, and a history
of psychosocial stress. However, the clinical
data do not fall into such neat categories, since
monoamine-based antidepressants are most effective
in patients with severe depression when cortisol
levels remain high after the administration
of dexamethasone