Genetic Insights into Why Depression Affects Women More Than Men

       In a recent study done by Dr. Jodi Thomas at the School of Biomedical Sciences at The University of Queensland, it has been found that major depressive disorder (MDD) impacts almost twice as many women as it does men. Researchers findings in the study with over 200,000 men and women with MDD start to unpack the underlying causes of MDD in both sexes. They categorized genetic effects into three separate groups: shared effects present in both sexes, sex-dependent effects that differ in magnitude or direction, and sex-specific effects present in only one sex. Their analysis revealed that women carry about 13,200 genetic variants linked to MDD while men have only 7,100, suggesting that women might bear a higher genetic burden (including 6,100 variants potentially unique to females). Additionally, three genomic regions were identified as major only in women, supporting the presence of sex-specific genetic influences.

The study also focused on genetic correlations between MDD and metabolic traits like body mass index (BMI) and metabolic syndrome. These correlations were stronger in women, consistent with clinical observations that women with MDD more often experience metabolic symptoms. With this, researchers recorded limitations in statistical power, meaning that not all causal genetic regions could be definitively identified. In addition, genetic correlations between men and women with MDD were slightly lower than expected, underscoring possible differences in cohort characteristics. This suggests that twin studies and GWASs may capture distinct aspects of genetic risk.

    Ultimately, the study highlighted a noteworthy variant on the X chromosome in men, mapping to the IL1RAPL1 gene, which is involved in memory and has been associated with several other traits but not previously with MDD. While the role of this gene in male depression is still unclear, it provides a promising opportunity for further research. Overall, the study harps on the importance of sex-stratified analyses to comprehend the biological function of MDD and points to the need for more data collection and further investigation into molecular mechanisms that mediate sex-dependent and sex-specific genetic impacts.

Sources:

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-03374-0

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-63236-1

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/symptoms-causes/syc-20356007

Is there a genetic factor in depression

 Depression and depression-related disorders (DD) are some of the most common and studied mental illnesses. An individual with depression or a DD can experience a wide range of symptoms, from disinterest in hobbies to suicidal thoughts. Depression often affects an individual beginning in adolescence and can last a lifetime. Medications are available for people who struggle with depression. Depression can also have many causes such as a hormonal imbalance or trauma. 

In 2018 physiologists and geneticists attempted to discover a clear genetic link to depression. They analyzed the genome of individuals with depression and DD who also had a familial history of the condition. Through their analysis, they were unable to determine a clear link. I chose to highlight this study because it shows that there is still a lot more for us to discover related to depression and its heritability. 

Major depression: Brain tissue reveals sex-specific gene changes

     Major depression also known as major depression disorder is when symptoms of depression last for 2 weeks.  Statistics show that women experience this type of depression more than men in fact women are twice as likely.  Scientists wanted to find out if there was any genetic difference between men and women when it came to major depression.  In a study, Dr. Marianne Seney, Ph.D., from the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School, pinpointed these differences. 
In this study they analyzed the brain tissue from 50 deceased adults who had major depression as well subjects without major depression. There were 26 men and 24 women who made up the 50 subjects who had major depression. Scientists wanted to see if there were any genetic alterations in the three brain regions. It showed that " 706 genes that were expressed differently in men with major depression and 882 genes that were expressed differently in women with the disorder. There was few gene expression changes shared between mean d women. The scientists identified that 21 genes were altered in the same direction. 

     Dr. Seney and other scientists who he worked along side with concluded that since they had focused solely on postmortem brain tissues that they were not able to clarify if whether the opposing gene expression changes they identified led to differences in how major depression affects men and women. However they believe that what they discovered in this study suggests that men and women may still require different treatment approaches when it comes to major depression.

         In my opinion this finding is great. It is important to realize how a disorder of any kind works, in order to then start to find treatment for shutting it down. From this we can begin to develop specific treatments for major depression disorder for both men and women. It is important to now know what was found in this study so that major depression can be treated and more people can live a fuller happier life. Many people commit suicide when they are depressed. Also being a student can be stressful, many college students take their life because of major depression. If this discovery can be of help in saving people from the thought that the only way out is to die then they should continue to delve deeper into further studies to find out even more. This study can affect many people and their friends and family in a positive way. 

Link to article:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321245.php
Other information: 

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/major-depression.shtml