Depression Has Its Roots In Human Genes, New Study Finds

A new study has pinpointed genes which are to be blamed for the development of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Depression is considered as a mental disorder that is caused by a combination of genetic as well as environmental factors. The symptoms of depression include frequent mood changes, loss of sleep and appetite and fatigue. The World Health Organization has estimated that around 350 million people across the world are suffering from depression.

According to the study conducted by a team of researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital, Pfizer Inc. and 23andMe Inc, there are 15 locations in the human DNA that are linked with depression. For the study, the researchers analyzed common genetic variation of 75,607 people of European descent who self-reported having diagnosed with depression and 231,747 individuals of the same descent but without the mental disorder. The aim of the study was to identify genetic variations between the two groups, reported Daily Mail.

At the end of the study, the research team were able to identify 17 genetic variations spread over 15 regions of the genome associated with depression. There was also evidence of overlap between the genetic basis of depression and other mental illnesses.

The co-author of the study, Roy Perlis, from the Massachusetts General Hospital, said they are hoping that the new study findings will help people understand that depression is a brain disease with its own biology. He added that the new insights can now be used to develop better treatments for depression. In fact, the findings will lead to lessened stigma among the general population and also change the way people think about depression, reported IBTimes.

Dr. Patrick Sullivan, an expert in depression genetics at the University of North Carolina in North Carolina, said the study findings "look pretty solid" and that they provide an important step toward finding all the genes that affect depression. "It's a markedly better step than I believe anybody has taken before," he said. The research findings have been published in the journal Nature Genetics.