Depression

In Western medicine, depression is delineated as a chronic mood disorder marked by pervasive sadness and anhedonia, with neuroimaging studies elucidating diverse neural pathways involved (APA, 2013, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition). Conversely, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) conceptualizes depression as Qi stagnation, implicating multiple organ systems—liver, spleen, heart, and kidney—in the dysregulation of blood and bodily fluids (Zhang et al., 2012, Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine). TCM identifies four primary disharmonies: Blood Deficiency, Qi Stagnation, Liver Blood Deficiency, and Spleen Qi Sinking, each with distinct symptomatology and underlying organ involvement (Chen et al., 2015; Huang et al., 2017; Liu et al., 2015; Li et al., 2019). Both frameworks provide intricate diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, underscoring the need for integrated research.