Women are genetically at higher risk of clinical depression than men, Australian researchers found in a study published … that could change how the disorder is treated.
Billed as one of the largest-ever studies of its kind, scientists pored 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 as 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.
