Depressive disorders are generally ascribed to dysfunctional frontal lobes. As such, treatment for depressive symptoms are targeted at the cerebral cortex. However, many of the symptoms may more closely relate to brainstem functions. When we examine depressive symptoms from that standpoint, we discover that other types of treatments may show promise for treating people for whom standard treatments have not worked. This conceptualization may also lead to strategies for preventing some of the more troublesome symptoms of depression.