Is depression a neurologic disease?

There is now ample evidence that depression produces observable changes in a variety of brain systems that should be of interest to investigators and clinicians in neurology. Thus neurologists should take the lead in providing comprehensive assessment of the clinical, neurophysiologic, neuropsychologic, neuropharmacologic, neurochemical, neuroimaging, and neuropathologic changes occurring in depression. In addition, because depression is a treatable condition, clinicians should make every attempt to identify the disorder and institute appropriate therapy to maximize neurologic benefit for the patient.