Brett Silverstein1, Vladeta Ajdacic-Gross2, Wulf Rossler3, Jules Angst4. 1. Department of Psychology, City College of New York, New York, NY 10031, USA. Electronic address: bsilverstein@ccny.cuny.edu. 2. Research Unit for Social and Clinical Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Switzerland. 3. Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Switzerland; Institute of Psychiatry, Laboratory of Neuroscience (LIM 27), University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. 4. Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Given that several studies have found the gender difference in depression to be rooted in psychosocial forces and others have shown the difference to be due to a gender difference in somatic depression, we compared the gender difference in somatic depression among respondents who reported no relative depressed with that of all other depressed respondents. METHODS: Respondents in a representative sample from the Zurich study who met criteria for somatic depression and reported no relatives (first-degree, or parents, or mothers, or fathers in separate analyses) with depression were compared to other depressed respondents as to gender. RESULTS: The gender difference in the prevalence of depression among respondents with somatic depression who reported no relatives with depression (whether the relatives were all first-degree, or any parent, or mothers only or fathers only) was significantly greater than the gender difference in depression among other respondents LIMITATIONS: The measure of depression among relatives was based upon reports of the respondents. CONCLUSION: All or almost all of the gender difference in depression in this representative sample.is due to a gender difference in somatic depression among respondents who reported no depressed relative. Somatic depression may be a disorder distinct from depression without significant additional somatic symptomatology. If so, it is likely that it should be treated differently.
BACKGROUND: Given that several studies have found the gender difference in depression to be rooted in psychosocial forces and others have shown the difference to be due to a gender difference in somatic depression, we compared the gender difference in somatic depression among respondents who reported no relative depressed with that of all other depressed respondents. METHODS: Respondents in a representative sample from the Zurich study who met criteria for somatic depression and reported no relatives (first-degree, or parents, or mothers, or fathers in separate analyses) with depression were compared to other depressed respondents as to gender. RESULTS: The gender difference in the prevalence of depression among respondents with somatic depression who reported no relatives with depression (whether the relatives were all first-degree, or any parent, or mothers only or fathers only) was significantly greater than the gender difference in depression among other respondents LIMITATIONS: The measure of depression among relatives was based upon reports of the respondents. CONCLUSION: All or almost all of the gender difference in depression in this representative sample.is due to a gender difference in somatic depression among respondents who reported no depressed relative. Somatic depression may be a disorder distinct from depression without significant additional somatic symptomatology. If so, it is likely that it should be treated differently.
Authors: Joseph Mehltretter; Colleen Rollins; David Benrimoh; Robert Fratila; Kelly Perlman; Sonia Israel; Marc Miresco; Marina Wakid; Gustavo Turecki Journal: Front Artif Intell Date: 2020-01-21