ABSTRACT

Depressive disorder is a common mental disorder and one of the leading causes of disability around the globe. It is characterized by depressed mood, lack of enjoyment, decreased activity, negative thoughts and reduced concentration for at least two weeks.¹ Globally 350 million people are suffering from depression and 18.34 million people from Southeast Asia alone.²

          Major depressive disorder is growing in overall disease burden around the world. It is predicted to be the leading cause of disease burden by 2030, and it is already the leading cause in women worldwide.³ Depression affects the prefrontal cortex, cingulate gyrus, amygdala, hippocampus, thalamus and hypothalamus. These brain regions are involved in the regulation of motivation, eating, sleeping, energy level, circadian rhythm, and responses to rewarding and aversive stimuli, which are all abnormal in depressed people.⁴