Individual genes do not cause depression, but they are thought to increase the probability of an individual having a depression in the face of other accumulating risk factors, such as other genes and environmental stressors. One gene that has been shown to increase the risk for depression in the context of multiple stressful life events is the gene for the serotonin transporter protein.
Mood Disorders
Gender-specific research is needed to understand women’s increased vulnerability to poor mental health, study argues
Countless movies and TV shows make light of women’s so-called “moodiness”, often jokingly attributing it to their menstrual cycle or, conversely, to menopause. In fact, mood disorders are a serious and pervasive health problem, and large-scale population studies have found women are 1.5 to 3 times more likely to suffer from major depressive disorder than are men. [continue reading…]
