Is depression rooted in our genes? A landmark study published on August 1, 2016, in Nature Genetics provides strong evidence of genetic influences on depression risk among people of European descent. Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital conducted a genome-wide analysis using DNA from saliva samples of nearly 300,000 Europeans, sourced through 23andMe. They compared this data to that of 75,600 individuals diagnosed or treated for depression and 230,000 with no history of the condition. The findings identified 17 genetic variations across 15 genomic regions. These genes are primarily tied to the nervous system and brain development, including one previously linked to epilepsy and intellectual disability.
In a follow-up analysis, the team examined DNA from nearly 20,000 people—half with depression—against data from over 150,000 23andMe customers, including nearly 46,000 with depression. This revealed 15 additional genomic regions with genetic variations associated with the disorder. "Identifying genes that influence disease risk is the first step toward understanding its biology," says Roy Perlis, co-author and Massachusetts General Hospital researcher. He emphasizes that these insights affirm depression as a brain disorder, helping combat stigma and advance new treatments. The World Health Organization estimates depression impacts over 350 million people globally, including 25% of Europeans.
