Genetic differences may explain why women get depression twice as often

A groundbreaking international study has revealed striking genetic differences in how men and women experience depression, which may help explain why women are diagnosed almost twice as often as men.

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The research, published in Nature Communications and conducted by scientists at the QIMR Berghofer Institute for Medical Research in Australia, found that genetic factors play a greater role in the risk of depression in women. Researchers discovered almost twice as many genetic “flags” linked to depression in women compared to men.

Dr., senior researcher at the QIMR Berghofer Genetic Epidemiology Laboratory. “We already know that women are twice as likely as men to suffer from depression throughout their lives,” said Brittany Mitchell.

“We also know that depression looks very different from person to person. So far, there hasn’t been a lot of consistent research explaining why depression affects men and women differently, including the possible role of genetics.”

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The team analyzed genetic data from hundreds of thousands of people, including nearly 130,000 women and 65,000 men diagnosed with depression. They identified nearly 7,000 DNA changes linked to depression in both sexes and 6,000 genetic variations specific to women, or about 13,000 changes in total.

Scientists found nearly twice as many genes linked to depression in women compared to men. (iStock)

“For me, it was surprising to find that there are potentially more genetic markers for depression in women than in men,” Mitchell told Fox News Digital.

“I expected that the same genetic markers would influence depression in both sexes. It was an interesting finding to find that this was not actually the case, and that women had almost twice as many genetic markers as men.”

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The study also showed that genes associated with depression in women overlapped more strongly with those linked to metabolic traits; This may help explain why women with depression often experience symptoms such as weight changes or altered energy levels.

The changes scientists detect in DNA are genetic differences that people are born with, not changes that occur due to life experiences.

The findings could pave the way for more personalized treatments for depression. (iStock)

Traditionally, most drug trials and treatments have been tested on men, but study participants hope their work will lead to a better clinical understanding of female depression.

The most important takeaway from this, Mitchell said, is that differences in genetics and therefore biology contribute to differences in depression between genders.

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“Our research demonstrated the importance and value of considering gender in health research,” she added. “We hope this will serve as an example for other research to follow.”

While the research focused on participants of European descent, the team hopes to expand their study to more diverse populations.

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“It will be really important for future research to include a wider variety of other populations to determine whether our findings are applicable to other populations,” Mitchell said. he said.

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“Knowledge is power.… Share this knowledge with friends and family.… Recognizing these differences is the first step toward more equitable care.”