A new global study, led by researchers at the University of Edinburgh and Kings College London, has identified the genes that increase the risk of developing depression in different ethnicities.
For the first time, new genetic risk factors for depression have been identified in all major global populations, allowing scientists to predict depression risk regardless of ethnicity.
The world’s largest and most diverse genetic study ever conducted on major depression has revealed nearly 300 previously unknown genetic links to the condition, experts say.
“Our study identifies hundreds of additional genetic variants that play a role in depression.” – Professor Cathryn Lewis
“These findings show that depression is highly polygenic and open further avenues to translate these findings into better care for people with depression.” Says Professor Cathryn Lewis, co-leader of the study from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London.
The study found that 100 of the newly discovered genetic variations (small differences in the DNA sequence that makes up a gene) were identified due to the inclusion of people of African, East Asian, Hispanic and South Asian ancestry.
Previous research on the genetics of depression has focused primarily on white populations who originally descended from people living in Europe. Therefore, therapies developed using genetic approaches may not be effective in other ethnicities, widening existing health inequalities.
Each genetic variant has a very small effect on the overall risk of developing depression. If a person has multiple variants, these small effects can add up, increasing their risk.
