Women Have Twice as Many Genetic Markers for Depression as Men, Major Study Finds

A large international study has found women carry twice as many genetic traits linked to depression as men, offering clues to gender-based mental health risks.

Australian scientists have identified key genetic differences that may explain why women are more prone to depression than men, according to what researchers describe as the largest study of its kind.

The research, published Wednesday in Nature Communications, found 16 genetic markers associated with depression in women compared with eight in men. The study analyzed DNA samples from more than 130,000 women and 64,000 men diagnosed with depression, along with nearly 300,000 people without the condition, across five international research groups in Australia, the Netherlands, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

Dr. Brittany Mitchell, lead researcher at the Genetic Epidemiology Laboratory in Australia, said the findings confirm what clinicians have long observed: women face nearly twice the lifetime risk of depression compared with men. “This is the first robust genetic evidence showing that biological differences could be part of the reason,” she said.

While previous studies have focused largely on social or psychological explanations, this new research highlights how genetics might shape gender disparities in mental health. “Depression affects people differently,” Mitchell said, “but understanding these genetic variations helps explain why symptoms and risks differ between men and women.”

The study also noted that men tend to seek help less frequently—leading to underdiagnosis—while women are more likely to experience sexual violence and interpersonal trauma, compounding their vulnerability.

Professor Philip Mitchell from the University of New South Wales said the results provide “compelling evidence” that biological mechanisms, not just social pressures, contribute to women’s higher rates of depression. “Statistically, women appear to have more DNA regions linked to depression risk,” he said.

Researchers emphasized that the study’s scale allowed them to rule out sample size as a factor, confirming that the genetic differences are genuine rather than statistical artifacts.

Experts say the findings could eventually inform the development of gender-specific antidepressant therapies. “As we learn more about how depression operates biologically in each sex,” Professor Mitchell said, “we can tailor treatments to be more effective and precise.”

The research marks a milestone in understanding depression’s biological underpinnings, pointing to a future where mental health care may be guided as much by genetics as by psychology.

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