Female climacteric depression(FCD)is a common modern disease among women,falling within the scope of"perim-enopausal syndrome"and"depressive illness"in traditional Chinese medicine.In the face of increasing life stress for women,ur-gent attention is needed to enhance their quality of life and mental health,focusing on the treatment of FCD.During menopause,women experience aging,ovarian function decline,steep fluctuations in estrogen levels,and reduced tolerance to various stressors,which leads to mood disorders primarily characterized by mental and emotional disturbances,with depression being a prominent fea-ture.Traditional Chinese medicine attributes FCD to a deficiency of kidney essence as the root cause,along with liver dysfunction in dispersing and regulating,and stagnation of qi circulation as contributing factors.The decrease of estrogen in menopausal women re-duces its brain-protective effects and weakens its binding capacity to receptors,directly affecting the regeneration function of hippo-campus neurons.This hormonal imbalance leads to a series of damages such as the disorder of hypothalamus-pituitary-ovary(HPO)axis,the hyperactivity of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal(HPA)axis,and the lack of monoamine neurotransmitters.
Female climacteric depressionDepressive illnessTonifying the kidneys and soothing the liverEstrogen deficiencyHippocampal neuron regenerationHPO axisHPA axisNeurotransmitter