Korean J Biol Psychiatry.  2022 Apr;29(1):1-8. 10.22857/kjbp.2022.29.1.001.

Evolutionary Model of Depression as an Adaptation for Blocked Social Mobility

• Park H
• Pak S

• KMID: 2528447
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.22857/kjbp.2022.29.1.001

Abstract

Objectives
In regard to the social competition hypothesis, depression is viewed as an involuntary defeat strategy. A previous study has demonstrated that adaptation in microenvironments can result in a wide range of behavioural patterns including defense activation disorders. Using a simulation model with evolutionary ecological agents, we explore how the fitness of various defence activation traits has changed over time in different environments with high and low social mobility.
Methods
The Evolutionary Ecological Model of Defence Activation Disorder, which is based on the Marginal Value Theorem, was used to examine changes in relative fitness for individuals with defensive activation disorders after adjusting for social mobility.
Results
Our study examined the effects of social mobility on fitness by varying the d-values, a measure of depression in the model. With a decline in social mobility, the level of fitness of individuals with high levels of defense activation decreased. We gained insight into the evolutionary influence of varying levels of social mobility on individuals’ degrees of depression. In the context of a highly stratified society, the results support a mismatch hypothesis which states that high levels of defence are detrimental.
Conclusions
Despite the fact that niche specialization in habitats composed of multiple microenvironments can result in diverse levels of defensive activation being evolutionary strategies for stability, decreased social mobility may lead to a decrease in fitness of individuals with highly activated defence modules. There may be a reason behind the epidemic of depression in modern society.

Keyword

Evolutionary ecology; Social mobility; Defence activation disorder; Agent-based simulation