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medpundit |
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Saturday, November 02, 2002Research results, published this week in the American Journal of Medical Genetics, show significant evidence of a link between unipolar mood disorders and a specific region of chromosome 2q33-35 in women. A gene in this region is believed to contribute to the vulnerability of women in families with a history of recurrent, early onset major depressive disorder to developing mood disorders. The same genetic background in men did not increase their chances of developing mood disorders. This isn’t your typical gender-biased research study, though. The study actually did look at the gene in both men and women in eighty-one families. The correlation between mood disorders and the presence of the gene was highest among women members of the families. The gene codes for a protein that’s involved in translating DNA into the proteins that make the body work. It could be that the protein’s function is influenced in some way by estrogen, resulting in the higher incidence of mood disorders in the women with it, but not the men. Although it should never be used as an excuse for behaving badly, there’s no denying that estrogen levels can affect the moods of some women. A better understanding of the biochemistry of the protein involved may someday lead to better treatment for PMS and post-partum and post-menopausal depression. posted by Sydney on 11/02/2002 11:11:00 AM 0 comments 0 Comments: |
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