The Genetics of Depression and Related Traits

Overview

Journal Curr Psychiatry Rep

Publisher Current Science

Specialty Psychiatry

Date 2005 Apr 2

PMID 15802088

Citations 6

Authors

Patricia Huezo-Diaz

Kopal Tandon

Katherine J Aitchison

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

There is considerable evidence that genetic factors play a major role in the etiology of unipolar depression. Investigations into vulnerability genes for unipolar depression are underway and for more broadly defined depression-related traits, such as anxiety, neuroticism, and harm avoidance. This review discusses some of the core issues related to study design and molecular genetic methodology, followed by an overview of recent molecular genetic findings for unipolar depression. The research to date has identified regions within certain chromosomes that may contain risk genes. Improved study design and the use of new molecular techniques hold promise for the identification of more specific vulnerability genes for unipolar depression.

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