Genes can influence the risk of suffer from depression. Far from being reduced to a single cause, this disease could be explained by different risk factors: psychological (trauma, mourning, parental relationships), environmental (family conflict, job loss, illness) or biological (inflammation of the brain for example).
American researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital have just pinpointed a genetic origin: 17 genetic mutations distributed in 15 regions of the genome could promote the risk of major depressive disorder.
In the sights of scientists, genes of the nervous system, genes involved in brain development and a gene associated with epilepsy that have been identified as factors of depression.
Towards new strategies to treat depression
This discovery comes from the observation of the genome of 75,607 Europeans diagnosed as being depressed or being treated for this disease. 231,747 people with no history of depression were also included in the study.
The identification of genes associated with depression is still in its infancy, but this study published in Nature genetics could help to understand why some people are more vulnerable than others to this disease. Scientists then hope to be able to develop new treatment strategies.
About 19% of French people aged 15 to 75 (nearly nine million people) have experienced or will experience a depressive episode during their lifetime, according to the health insurance website.
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