The influence of genetic and acquired factors on the vulnerability to develop depression: a review

Depression is one of the most common mental disorders that affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide and has claimed tens of thousands of lives. The causes are divided into two main areas: congenital genetic factors and acquired environmental factors. Congenital factors include genetic mutations and epigenetic events; acquired factors include birth patterns, feeding patterns, dietary patterns, childhood experiences, education and economic levels, isolation due to epidemics, and many other complex factors. According to studies, these factors play important roles in depression. Therefore, here, we analyze and study the factors from two aspects, describe their influence on individual depression, and analyze their underlying mechanisms. The results showed that both innate and acquired factors have significant effects on the occurrence of depressive disorder, and these findings may provide new ideas and methods for the study of depressive disorder, thus facilitating the process of depression prevention and treatment.