Genetic Causes of Depression

It has long been known that depression can be inherited, but until recently not fully known whether people inherit a predisposition to these diseases or if something else, such as the environment was the real culprit. These depression research have been able to determine that, to some extent in depressive disorders can be inherited. What appears to be inherited a vulnerability to depression. This means that if you have relatives who suffer from clinical depression, which may inherit a tendency to develop the disease. This does not mean that we are destined to suffer from depression.

The genes we inherit from our parents determine a lot about us as our sex and color of our eyes and hair. Our genes determine disease also may be vulnerable at some point in our lives. Every cell in the human body contains somewhere between 50,000 and 100,000 genes. All are made of a material called deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA. The genes are located on chromosomes in the nucleus of every cell. All body cells except the sex cells contain 46 chromosomes, genes and are generally found in a specific location on a particular chromosome. With the exception of identical twins, no two people in the world have exactly the same genetic heritage.

The genetics of depression for family research shows that some individuals are more likely to develop the disease than others. If you have a parent or sibling who has had severe depression, it can be 1.5 to 3 times more likely to develop the condition of those who do not have a close relative is in good condition. It would also be the possibility of developing bipolar disorder. Since close relatives who suffer from clinical depression is a vulnerability to develop the condition itself strongly suggests that it may be an inherited disease.

Bipolar disorder has a strong genetic influence. Among those with bipolar disorder, approximately 50% of them have a parent with a history of clinical depression. When a mother or father has bipolar disorder, their children will receive a 25% chance of developing some form of clinical depression. If both parents have bipolar disorder, the chances of your child is also developing a bipolar disorder is between 50% and 75%. Brothers and sisters of people with bipolar disorder may be 8 to 18 times more likely to develop bipolar disorder, and 2 to 10 times more likely to develop major depressive disorder than others, such brothers.