A study led by the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Australia revealed that women carry a greater genetic burden linked to depression compared to men, identifying 16 gene variants associated with depression in women versus 8 in men.

The research, published in the journal Nature Communications, confirms that most genetic variants causing depression are shared between sexes, but women carry unique variants that increase their risk.

Dr. Brittany Mitchell, the lead researcher, stated that women are twice as likely to suffer from depression compared to men, and this study provides a genetic explanation for this difference.

The study also noted environmental and behavioral factors such as women’s higher exposure to sexual assault and domestic violence, and men’s lower likelihood to seek medical help, but emphasized the importance of genetic differences in understanding sex-based variations.

Researchers analyzed DNA samples from over 130,000 women and 64,000 men from Australia, the Netherlands, the United States, and the United Kingdom, finding a stronger link between depression and metabolic disorders in women.

Professor Philip Mitchell from the University of New South Wales, who was not involved in the study, said the findings provide strong evidence that genetic factors play a key role in sex differences in depression rates, potentially paving the way for gender-specific drug treatments.