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Abstract
This review aims to summarize the diverse proposed pathophysiological mechanisms contributing
to postpartum depression, highlighting both clinical and basic science research findings.
The risk factors for developing postpartum depression are discussed, which may provide
insight into potential neurobiological underpinnings. The evidence supporting a role
for neuroendocrine changes, neuroinflammation, neurotransmitter alterations, circuit
dysfunction, and the involvement of genetics and epigenetics in the pathophysiology
of postpartum depression are discussed. This review integrates clinical and preclinical
findings and highlights the diversity in the patient population, in which numerous
pathophysiological changes may contribute to this disorder. Finally, we attempt to
integrate these findings to understand how diverse neurobiological changes may contribute
to a common pathological phenotype. This review is meant to serve as a comprehensive
resource reviewing the proposed pathophysiological mechanisms underlying postpartum
depression.