Overview

• Researchers at Australia's Berghofer Institute analyzed DNA from almost 200,000 people with diagnosed depression in one of the largest studies of its kind.
• Women with depression exhibited about 13,000 genetic markers linked to the condition, compared with roughly 7,000 in men.
• The authors conclude the genetic component of depression is larger in women than in men.
• The team says the sex-specific insights may support more individualized treatments and help explain metabolic symptoms more common in women, including weight changes and fluctuating energy.
• The researchers note prior depression research often relied on predominantly male participants, and the WHO estimates more than 300 million people worldwide live with depressive disorders.