Genetic Study Reveals Why Women Face Double the Risk of Depression Compared to Men

Oct 08, 2025 06:07 pm CST

New research published in Nature Communications has identified 6,000 unique gene variants associated with depression in women, in addition to 7,000 variants shared with men. This groundbreaking study from QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute provides genetic evidence explaining why women experience twice the risk of depression and why the condition manifests differently across genders, with female-specific variants linked to metabolic symptoms.