Depression
Conditions
Keywords
Depressive Disorder, Family, Genetics
Brief summary
This study will identify specific genes that may cause a predisposition to depression in some families.
Detailed description
Depression is a serious medical illness that is often difficult to diagnose and treat. Studies on patterns of depression within families suggest that inherited genes may cause a predisposition to the disorder. People with early onset depression often have more relatives with depression than people whose depression does not begin until later in life. It is likely that several interacting genes cause this tendency towards the disorder, rather than one specific gene. This study will serve to identify particular genes that may cause a susceptibility to depression in order to better understand the brain mechanisms involved with severe depression. In turn, this may aid in the development of new treatments for depression. Participation in this observational study will entail one interview and one blood test. Participants will be interviewed, either in person or by telephone, about their personal and family psychiatric history. The blood sample will be collected at a time and location that is convenient for the participant. Participants may also be asked to invite other family members to participate in the study. For information on a related study please follow this link: http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT00005914
Interventions
None listed
Sponsors
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Stanford University
Study design
Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
RETROSPECTIVE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
21 Years to 70 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* History of recurrent major depression * Has a parent or sibling with a history of recurrent major depression * Depression began before the age of 31
Exclusion criteria
* Bipolar I (manic-depressive) disorder * Schizophrenia
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Major depressive disorder diagnosis | One patient interview session (typically 2 hours), and blood draw (10-20 minutes) | The study will correlate genome-wide SNP genotypes with case vs. control status, defined by presence or absence of major depressive disorder. Participants will attend an interview regarding personal and family history of psychiatric disorders, and give a blood specimen. Genotypes from blood samples will be studied for association with presence of major depressive disorder. |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed