Key points from article :
Individuals with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) were found to have higher rates of methylation at specific sites on DNA.
Methylation of genes, called 'DNA methylation clocks', typically change in predictable ways as people age.
Blood samples were analyzed for methylation patterns using the GrimAge clock.
Individuals with MDD showed a significantly higher GrimAge score, suggesting increased mortality risk.
“Sufferers have higher rates of age-related physical illnesses and early mortality,” - Owen Wolkowitz, co-senior author.
Researchers don’t yet know if depression causes altered methylation, or if depression and methylation are related to another factor.
May have a genetic predisposition to specific methylation patterns in response to stressors.
“We hope to find out whether anti-depressants or other treatments alters the methylation patterns,” - Synthia Mellon, co-senior author.
Study by the UCSF published in Translational Psychiatry.
