Do women's genes have a role in depression?

Do women's genes have a role in depression?

Depression is incredibly complex, highly personal, and often associated with a stock of triggers and other comorbidities.

But in 2021, the results of a study involving 1.2 million people revealed that there are 178 types of genetic variants associated with major depressive disorder, and the study confirmed that each person's DNA plays a major role in mental illness.

According to New Atlas, citing the journal Molecular Psychology, researchers from Canada's McGill University have been able to demonstrate the existence of more gender-dependent models of diagnosis and treatment, after finding distinctly different genetic links for depression between the male and female genomes.

In a study of more than 270 individuals drawn from a UK Biobank database, scientists discovered that gender-specific prediction methods were much more accurate in assessing risk of major depressive disorder than looking at both sexes, after finding that there were 11 areas of DNA specifically linked to depression in females, and only one is in the male genomes.

Metabolism and the biological clock

The researchers also found that depression is closely linked to metabolic diseases in females, and although this finding has been confirmed in previous research, it has not been linked to females and males separately.

Interestingly, the study found that both males and females share problems with the BMAL1 protein, which is a regulator of circadian rhythms. Insomnia was an important symptom shared by both sexes when it came to major depressive disorder.

"This is the first study describing sex-specific genetic variants associated with depression, a highly prevalent disease in both males and females," said Dr. Patricia Bellofo-Silveira, principal investigator and associate professor in the department of psychiatry at McGill University. specific benefits for both men and women, taking into account the differences between them.

Among its complications is the fact that depression varies greatly in its severity, symptoms, and episode patterns, is estimated to be affected by around 280 million worldwide, and is largely responsible for nearly 700000 suicide deaths each year.

Genetic signals

The researchers hope that this finding will lead to the development of personalized treatment options that can focus on gender-specific gene networks, and also encourage more scientists to investigate genetic signals of depression across racially diverse populations.

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