Psych News Special Report: Communicating the Neurobiology of MDD

On this episode of Psychiatric News Special Report, host Dr. Adrian Preda talks with psychiatrist and neuroscientist Dr. Chloe Page about what modern brain science really tells us about major depressive disorder. Drawing on the December 2025 Special Report, they walk through the rise and limits of the "chemical imbalance" story, how media coverage of the Moncrieff serotonin review fueled public mistrust, and why a neuroplasticity framework offers a richer and more accurate way to understand depression. Along the way, they explore how stress, genetics, inflammation and brain circuits converge on reduced plasticity, why antidepressants can help even when serotonin is not the whole story, and how psychotherapy, exercise, neuromodulation and medication can work together to get a "stuck" brain moving again. The conversation highlights the power of metaphors, honest communication and shared decision making to rebuild trust and help patients make sense of both the science and their own experience of depression.

Read the full Special Report here: https://www.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.pn.2025.12.12.2

PsychNews Special Report is a production of Psychiatric News, a media platform dedicated to serving as the primary and most trusted source of information for APA members, other psychiatrists and physicians, health professionals, and the public about developments in the field of psychiatry and mental health that impact clinical care and professional practice. Learn more at psychiatryonline.org/journal/pn