Gender
Factors such as gender can affect a person’s predisposition to depression. According to data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey published in 2018, women were nearly two times more likely to have depression than men. [10] The prevalence rates are 10.4 percent in women and 5.5 percent in men. It is not clear why this difference is so significant. It has been suggested that the hormonal changes women go through at various stages in their lives may contribute to it. [11]
Brain Structure
The brain controls a person’s mood. If the frontal lobe of your brain is less active, you are at a greater risk of having depression. While this link is clear from imaging studies, the facts are not. Scientists are not sure if this reduction in activity happens before or after depression sets in. [7] Depression has also been linked to changes in how the hypothalamus and pituitary gland react to hormonal stimulation.