A Swedish national twin study of lifetime major depression.
OBJECTIVE
Substantial evidence supports the heritability of lifetime major depression. Less clear is whether genetic influences in major depression are more important in women than in men and whether genetic risk factors are the same in the two sexes. It is not known whether genetic effects on major depression are constant across historical cohorts.


METHODS
Lifetime major depression was assessed at personal interview by modified DSM-IV criteria in 42,161 twins, including 15,493 complete pairs, from the national Swedish Twin Registry. Twin models were evaluated by using the program Mx.


RESULTS
Model fitting indicated that the heritability of liability to major depression was significantly higher in women (42%) than men (29%) and the genetic risk factors for major depression were moderately correlated in men and women. No significant differences were seen in the etiologic roles of genetic and environmental factors in major depression in three cohorts spanning birth years 1900-1958.


CONCLUSIONS
In the largest sample to date, lifetime major depression was moderately heritable, with estimates similar to those in prior studies. In accord with some but not other previous investigations, this study suggests both that the heritability of major depression is higher in women than in men and that some genetic risk factors for major depression are sex-specific in their effect. No evidence was found for differences in the roles of genetic and environmental risk factors in major depression in birth cohorts spanning nearly six decades.
Kendler
Kenneth S
KS
Department of Psychiatry, Medical College of Virginia of Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298-0126, USA. kendler@hsc.vcu.edu
Gatz
Margaret
M
Gardner
Charles O
CO
Pedersen
Nancy L
NL
D015331:Cohort Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004200:Diseases in Twins / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005820:Genetic Testing; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012042:Registries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors; D012931:Social Environment; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology