The genetic link behind sleep problems, cognitive dysfunction, and neuroticism in ‘treatment-resistant depression’

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A big new study suggests that certain genetic traits—like insomnia risk and neuroticism—may make depression harder to treat, while protective traits include education and cognitive ability.

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Under the skin: How childhood maltreatment may trigger lifelong multimorbidity

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Why do people who were maltreated as children face higher risks of both mental and physical illness? A new Mendelian randomisation study suggests that metabolic markers — like triglycerides and blood sugar — may be part of the chain connecting adversity to later multimorbidity.

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Unravelling bipolar disorder: insights from the biggest genetic study to date

Bipolar disorder is a leading contributor to the global burden of disease with significant impact on quality of life, functioning and suicide risk.

A massive new multi-ancestry genetic study of bipolar disorder has uncovered hundreds of risk loci and highlighted biological pathways that may guide more precise treatments and prevention strategies in the future.

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The genetic relationship between ADHD and depression

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Tim van der Es discusses a recent paper that investigates whether ADHD causally increases the risk of subsequent major depression diagnoses. The study findings underscore the need for effective treatment and assessment of ADHD and a requirement for a deeper understanding of the potential causal mechanisms linking ADHD and depression.

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Shorter sleep and depression: what role do our genes play?

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Nick Donnelly discusses how one’s genetic predisposition to shorter sleep is associated with the onset of depression in older adults.

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Is anxiety a gateway to other mental health problems? Comorbidities with depression and other anxiety disorders

Results from the current study largely replicated findings from the NESDA dataset in demonstrating that those with comorbid anxiety and/or depression have more severe presentations that anxiety or depression alone.

Nina Higson-Sweeney summarises a study using data from the UK-based GLAD and COPING NBR cohorts to investigate factors associated with anxiety disorder comorbidity with anxiety and depression.

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How do our genes affect our risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviours in childhood?

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A group of UCL masters students consider a JAMA Psychiatry study which looks at the associations between genetic risk for adult suicide attempt and suicidal behaviours in young children in the United States.

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