Some Causes of Depression
Condition |
Examples |
|
Brain and nervous system disorders |
Dementia (in early stages) Seizures that affect the temporal lobe (complex partial seizures) |
|
Cancers |
Cancer spreading throughout the body (metastatic) |
|
Connective tissue disorders |
Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus) |
|
Hormonal disorders |
High levels of parathyroid hormone (hyperparathyroidism) Low or high levels of thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism) Low levels of pituitary hormones (hypopituitarism) Low levels of testosterone (hypogonadism) |
|
Infections |
Syphilis (late stage) Viral pneumonia |
|
Mental disorders other than mood disorders |
Dementia in the early stages |
|
Nutritional disorders |
Pellagra (vitamin B6 deficiency) Pernicious anemia (a form of vitamin B12 deficiency) |
|
Other disorders |
|
|
Drugs |
Amphotericin B Beta-blockers (some) Cimetidine Contraceptives (oral) Corticosteroids Cycloserine Hormone ( estrogen or progesterone) therapy Interferon Mercury Methyldopa Metoclopramide Reserpine Thallium Vinblastine Vincristine |