WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A large-scale international study has found that women possess twice as many genetic variants associated with major depression as men, offering new insight into long-observed differences in how the disorder affects each sex.
Published in Nature Communications and led by Australia's QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, the study identified 16 genetic variants linked to depression in women and eight in men, the most comprehensive genetic comparison of its kind to date.
While many of the variants were shared between sexes, researchers found a higher burden of genetic risk in females, which may stem from female-specific variants. Dr. Brittany Mitchell, senior researcher at QIMR Berghofer's genetic epidemiology lab, noted that women are already known to be twice as likely to experience depression during their lifetime as men, yet the genetic reasons behind this difference have remained unclear.
The study analyzed DNA from five international cohorts spanning Australia, the Netherlands, the United States, and the United Kingdom. The final sample included over 195,000 participants with major depression, 130,471 women, and 64,805 men, alongside 291,706 individuals without the diagnosis.
Findings also revealed that women showed stronger genetic correlations between depression and metabolic traits, such as body mass index and metabolic syndrome. Lead author Dr. Jodi Thomas said these results may help explain why women with depression more often experience symptoms like weight fluctuations and energy changes.
Researchers emphasized that the study's findings highlight genetics as a key biological factor in depression risk, though environmental, behavioral, and social factors, including exposure to trauma or help-seeking differences, also play a role.
Experts unaffiliated with the study, including Professor Philip Mitchell of the University of New South Wales, called the results a significant advancement. He noted that while past theories often attributed the gender gap in depression rates to social and psychological influences, these findings strengthen the case for biological underpinnings.
Mitchell added that understanding these genetic differences could eventually guide the development of sex-specific treatments for depression as the biological pathways involved become clearer.
The authors acknowledged that the study was limited to participants of European ancestry, which may restrict the generalizability of its conclusions across diverse populations.
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