A new study says genetic factors contribute more to depression risk in women than in men.
The findings may help further the understanding of why women appear more likely to suffer from the sometimes debilitating condition.
Researchers in Australia analyzed DNA samples from nearly half a million individuals and discovered around twice as many so-called genetic flags for depression in females compared to males.
“We already know that females are twice as likely to suffer from depression in their lifetime than males… Until now, there hasn’t been much consistent research to explain why depression affects females and males differently, including the possible role of genetics,” study lead Dr. Brittany Mitchell of QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Brisbane said in a statement, per Reuters.
The researchers found roughly 7,000 changes in DNA that could drive depression in both sexes. However, they also identified an additional 6,000 DNA changes unique to women.
They also found that in females, genetic factors associated with the condition show a greater overlap with genes related to metabolic traits. This might explain why women with depression more frequently experience metabolic symptoms, like changes in body weight.
“These findings underscore the importance of considering sex-specific genetic (factors) in the study of health conditions, including major depressive disorder, paving the way for more targeted treatment strategies,” the researchers said.
Earlier this year, The Dallas Express reported on a study that found areas of the brain that process and control emotions expand in size for women suffering from postpartum depression. The researchers discovered that women with depressive symptoms in the first month following giving birth experienced growth in their amygdala, the area of the brain that plays a key role in processing emotions.
They further found that women who rated their childbirth experience as difficult or stressful, a factor commonly associated with postpartum depression, also saw an increase in the volume of the hippocampus, a region responsible for assisting with regulating emotions.