The endocrine system

The endocrine system is a collection of glands that produce hormones throughout the body. Some hormones, like estrogen and testosterone, regulate the reproductive system, while others, like cortisol, mediate stress responses. When the body's level of a hormone is sufficient, the gland that produces it stops churning it out.

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The hormonal system that regulates the body's response to stress, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, is overactive in many patients with depression. The hypothalamus, the brain region responsible for managing hormone release from glands throughout the body, increases production of a substance called corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) when a threat to physical or psychological well-being is detected. Elevated levels of CRF cause the pituitary and adrenal glands to increase the secretion of hormones that prepare the body for defensive action. The body's responses include reduced appetite, decreased sex drive, and heightened alertness. Persistent overactivation of this hormonal system may lay the groundwork for depression.

Then when menopause, a medical illness like a thyroid condition or diabetes, or an unusual stress causes other hormones to fall out of balance, depression can result. At the same time, a depressive disorder can trigger the secretion of hormones that can then exacerbate other medical illnesses.