The Depression Differential

Researchers have found evidence that men and women have different genes that anchor the roots of depression, which could have a major impact on treatment.

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh, US, have found evidence that men and women have different genes that anchor the roots of depression, which could have a major impact on treatment.  The study is the first to report the results of a systematic search for chromosomal regions that harbour genes affecting susceptibility to severe depression, the second leading cause of disability worldwide.  The study compared genetic markers from 100 men and women with recurrent, early-onset major depressive disorder (RE-MDD) and 100 people with no history of RE-MDD. Out of 19 chromosomal regions associated with RE-MDD development, 16 were significantly associated with it in either men or women, but not both.  These findings suggest important differences in the molecular basis of clinical depression in men and women. These may also contribute to differences in the symptoms of clinical depression in men and women, differential treatment, and the development of additional psychiatric disorders.

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