Sex Differences in Intergenerational Transfer Risk of Major Depressive Disorder

Abstract

Background:The children of depressed parents are more likely to suffer from mental illness, particularly major depressive disorder (MDD). However, most data come from adolescent and young-adult populations, and published studies have reported inconsistent results regarding intergenerational transmission. Material/Methods:We retrospectively investigated hospitalized depressed patients with positive family history (FHP) from 1 Jan 2008 to 31 Dec 2017 and analyzed the differences in sex distribution in the intergenerational transfer risk of major depressive disorder. Results:We enrolled 528 patients with maternal or paternal positive FHP from a total of 4856 patients, and divided them into 4 groups: female patients with maternal FHP (FM: 220, 41.7%), female patients with paternal FHP (FP: 116, 22.0%), male patients with maternal FHP (MM: 96, 18.2%), and male patients with paternal FHP (MP: 96, 18.2%).In this study, 12.2% of hospitalized depressed patients had an FHP. The ratio of male: female patients with FHP was 2: 3. The ratio of male: female patients with maternal FHP was almost 1: 2. Analyses showed that the risk of depression in daughters was higher than in sons. Compared with children of depressed fathers, the children of depressed mothers were at higher risk of depression. Daughters and sons share an equal risk of depression with paternal FHP. Conclusions:The results suggest a clear interaction of sex between patients and their depressed parents. Daughters of depressed mothers had the highest risk of suffering from depression compared with other offspring.

Intergenerational concordance of brain structure between depressed mothers and their never‐depressed daughters

“…These brain matrilineal associations may be related to greater vulnerability of daughters, but not sons, in developing depression whose mothers have a history of depression. 10 A previous study using healthy families reported female-specific transmission patterns in the corticolimbic circuitry, including the amygdala, ACC, gyrus rectus, orbitofrontal gyrus, and hippocampus 15 ; however, most of the identified brain regions did not overlap with our findings. One of the potential reasons for this regional difference may be due to the condition of the parents (never-depressed healthy vs remitted depression individuals).…”

“…Thus, our findings indicate that if mothers have brain structural abnormalities within the DMN or CEN, their daughters who have never been depressed are more likely to share similar abnormal structural patterns in the same brain networks. These brain matrilineal associations may be related to greater vulnerability of daughters, but not sons, in developing depression whose mothers have a history of depression 10 …”

“…A recent study in a large sample confirmed a clear sex interaction between depressed parents and their depressed offspring. In particular, compared with depressed fathers, depressed mothers had more influence on the emotions of their offspring; moreover, daughters were more vulnerable to developing depression than sons 10 …”

“…In particular, compared with depressed fathers, depressed mothers had more influence on the emotions of their offspring; moreover, daughters were more vulnerable to developing depression than sons. 10 Neuroimaging studies have also been conducted to estimate the heritability of brain characteristics (e.g. structure and metabolism) among kin.…”