Depression May Stem From Your DNA

By on January 4, 2011 in News 5
Albrecht Dürer's 'Melencolia I'

Albrecht Dürer's 'Melencolia I'

Alice Park reports on a gene that may prove to trigger depression in some people, for TIME:

As powerful as genes are in exposing clues to diseases, not even the most passionate geneticist believes that complex conditions such as depression can be reduced to a tell-tale string of DNA.

But a new study confirms earlier evidence that a particular gene, involved in ferrying a brain chemical critical to mood known as serotonin, may play a role in triggering the mental disorder in some people.

Researchers led by Dr. Srijan Sen, a professor of psychiatry at University of Michigan, report in the Archives of General Psychiatry that individuals with a particular form of the serotonin transporter gene were more vulnerable to developing depression when faced with stressful life events such as having a serious medical illness or being a victim of childhood abuse. The form of the gene that these individuals inherit prevents the mood-regulating serotonin from being re-absorbed by nerve cells in the brain. Having such a low-functioning version of the transporter starting early in life appears to set these individuals up for developing depression later on, although the exact relationship between this gene, stress, and depression isn’t clear yet.

Sen’s results confirm those of a ground-breaking study in 2003, in which scientists for the first time confirmed the link between genes and environment in depression…

[continues at TIME]

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  • Liam_McGonagle

    Hopefully they’ll identify the offending genes quickly enough to eradicate them from the gene pool within the next 100 years or so.

    We’ve already seen what a great idea it is to have an economy run by guys who all went to the same schools and go to the same country clubs. How awesome would it be if nonconformity could be whiped out altogether!

    Group Think: Empowers YOU!

  • Liam_McGonagle

    Hopefully they’ll identify the offending genes quickly enough to eradicate them from the gene pool within the next 100 years or so.

    We’ve already seen what a great idea it is to have an economy run by guys who all went to the same schools and go to the same country clubs. How awesome would it be if nonconformity could be whiped out altogether!

    Group Think: Empowers YOU!

  • Liam_McGonagle

    Hopefully they’ll identify the offending genes quickly enough to eradicate them from the gene pool within the next 100 years or so.

    We’ve already seen what a great idea it is to have an economy run by guys who all went to the same schools and go to the same country clubs. How awesome would it be if nonconformity could be whiped out altogether!

    Group Think: Empowers YOU!

  • http://www.nickmeador.org/ ndmeador

    We should be very skeptical of any reports on a “gene” that causes any condition. A gene is a model that doesn’t correspond directly to the structure of DNA. In other words, when we talk about genes, we’re really talking about segments of DNA. A report like this is likely based on correlation between that chunk of DNA code and people who experience depression. However, that doesn’t establish CAUSATION. Furthermore, depression is too often assumed to be a brain disorder, when it could be entirely psychological. All in all, the media suck at science reporting.

  • http://www.nickmeador.org/ ndmeador

    We should be very skeptical of any reports on a “gene” that causes any condition. A gene is a model that doesn’t correspond directly to the structure of DNA. In other words, when we talk about genes, we’re really talking about segments of DNA. A report like this is likely based on correlation between that chunk of DNA code and people who experience depression. However, that doesn’t establish CAUSATION. Furthermore, depression is too often assumed to be a brain disorder, when it could be entirely psychological. All in all, the media sucks at science reporting.