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A new meta-analysis of more than 135,000 people with major depression and more than 344,000 controls has identified 44 genomic variants that have a significant association with depression. Of these 44 genomic, 30 are newly discovered while 14 had been identified in previous studies. In addition, the study identified 153 significant genes, and found that major depression shared six genome that are also associated with schizophrenia
Over 200 scientists who work with the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium. Co-leaders of the study are Patrick F. Sullivan, MD, FRANZCP, Yeargen Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Genetics and Director of the Center for Psychiatric Genomics at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine; and Naomi Wray, PhD, Professorial Research Fellow at the University of Queensland in Australia.
The study reaffirms the value of large-scale collaborations in identifying the complex genetics underlying psychiatric illness, it confirms the genetic roots for depression, offering important biological clues that may hope lead to new and better treatments. The results can be used for improved therapies- targets of known antidepressant medications were enriched in the genetic findings.
The genetic basis of depression overlaps importantly with other psychiatric disorders like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. The genetic basis of depressive disorder also overlaps with that for obesity and multiple measures of sleep quality- daytime sleepiness, insomnia and tiredness
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