Family history of affective disorders, the gender factor and clinical characteristics of depression

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OBJECTIVE

Analysis of clinical features of development and course of depression in patients with FH of mood disorders taking into account sex differences.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This multicenter cross-sectional study included patients over 18 years of age with depressive episode/recurrent depressive disorder. Clinical characteristics of depression, presence of comorbid mental illness and family history (FH) information were obtained in a structured clinical interview.

RESULTS

One hundred and seventy-one patients (mean age (M (SD)) 40.87 (15.86) y.o.), including 64.5% of women, were enrolled in the study. FH was revealed in 30.2% of patients. The proportion of FH did not differ in men and women (p=0.375). Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) was more frequent in FH positive patients (p=0.016). Logistic regression also revealed that FH is a risk factor for concomitant GAD (p=0.019, OR=2.4). The GLM demonstrated a significant joint effect of FH and sex on the maximum duration of a depressive episode (p=0.044), as well on the number of suicide attempts (p=0.055) and the number of depressive episodes as a trend (p=0.072).

CONCLUSION

We have demonstrated the specific interaction of FH of mood disorders with sex on clinical course of depression. Thus, the manifestation of a genetic influence on the clinical phenotype of depression can be significantly moderated by sex.

Keywords:

depression

family history

sex

mood disorders

genetics

Authors:

Mazo G.E.

Bekhterev National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Neurology

ORCID: 0000-0001-7910-9129

Kasyanov E.D.

Bekhterev National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Neurology

ORCID: 0000-0002-4658-2195

Nikolishin A.E.

Serbsky National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Narcology

ORCID: 0000-0002-6871-1234

Rukavishnikov G.V.

Bekhterev National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Neurology

ORCID: 0000-0002-5282-2036

Shmukler A.B.

Serbsky National Medical Research Center of Psychiatry and Narcology

Golimbet V.E.

Mental Health Research Center

ORCID: 0000-0002-9960-7114

Neznanov N.G.

Bekhterev National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Neurology;
Pavlov First Saint-Petersburg State Medical University

ORCID: 0000-0001-5618-4206

Kibitov A.O.

Serbsky National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Narcology

ORCID: 0000-0002-8771-625X

Received:

16.11.2020

Accepted:

02.12.2020

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