Genetics could help researchers target medications to fight depression

Alice Matthews | Australian Broadcasting Corporation | April 5, 2017

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The Australian Genetics of Depression Study has been launched as part of an international collaboration aiming to identify genes that predispose people to depression.

The results of the research will eventually help eliminate the guesswork involved in treatment, according to the country’s lead investigator Professor Nick Martin from the Q-I-M-R Berghofer Medical Research Institute.

“At the moment if somebody goes to their doctor with depression they get put on one of the standard drugs and it works for some people, but doesn’t work for a lot of them,” he told Hack.

Previous research has identified particular genetic regions of DNA associated with depression and shown the illness can run in families.

While environmental factors also play a part, the aim of this research is to create more targeted treatment by using genetics to predict which medications will work for which people.

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To get the data they need, researchers require about 20,000 adult participants across Australia.

“We’re at a stage now of medicine where the biggest aid we can get is not even people giving us government money – although that’s necessary – it’s actually volunteers from the community who are willing to go a little bit out of their way to help medical research,” Professor Martin said.

The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post: Australian scientists begin world’s largest genetic study into depression

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