Understanding and Treating Depression: Biological Psychological and Behavioural Perspectives draws together relevant research findings to form an encompassing model of depression, and then suggests how a comprehensive scientific assessment and treatment process might follow. Depression has been alternately described as a disorder of the central nervous system with a neurological basis, a mental health disease, or an adaptive behavioural process that may hold some benefits for the person experiencing it. These different views on the nature of depression reflect the lack of a comprehensive model of depression, and the various perspectives that have been taken when attempting to understand why depression occurs, how it proceeds, and what are the most effective ways of either treating it or avoiding it.

Understanding and Treating Depression: Biological, Psychological and Behavioural Perspectives addresses this issue by reviewing the literature on the most recent research into the genetic, endocrine, neurological, biochemistry, immunological, psychological and behavioural pathways to depression to form a comprehensive model of the symptomatology that is depression. Working from this model, a discussion of the implications for treatment options is undertaken, with some suggestions for good clinical practice.