Women are genetically at higher risk of clinical depression than men, Australian researchers found in a study published Wednesday that could change how the disorder is treated.
Billed as one of the largest-ever studies of its kind, scientists poured through the DNA of almost 200,000 people with depression to pinpoint shared genetic “flags”.
Women had almost twice as many of these genetic markers linked to depression than men, according to the project led by Australia’s Berghofer Medical Research Institute.
“The genetic component to depression is larger in females compared to males,” said researcher Jodi Thomas.
“Unpacking the shared and unique genetic factors in males and females gives us a clearer picture of what causes depression — and opens the door to more personalised treatments.”
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It has long been known that depression is more common in women, but the biological causes remain something of a mystery.
Around 13,000 genetic markers were linked with depression in women, the researchers found, compared with 7,000 markers in men.
Some of these genetic changes could alter biological pathways linked to metabolism or hormone production.
“We found some genetic differences that may help explain why females with depression more often experience metabolic symptoms, such as weight changes or altered energy levels,” Thomas said.
Researcher Brittany Mitchell said the findings could lead to changes in how depression is treated in women.
“Until now, there hasn’t been much consistent research to explain why depression affects females and males differently, including the possible role of genetics,” she said.
“There are more and more stories coming out about how many of the medications that are currently developed — and the research that we’ve known to date — has mostly been focused around men or male participants.”
Clinical depression, or major depressive disorder, is one of the most common mental disorders in the world.
More than 300 million people across the globe have depression, according to the World Health Organization.
The study was published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Communications.