Depression and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are prevalent health concerns affecting millions worldwide. While the association between these two diseases has been recognized for decades, the underlying cause remained unknown. Now, a study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry has shed light on a possible explanation: a shared developmental pathway involving a specific gene module.
Researchers analyzed gene expression profiles in blood samples from participants in the Young Finns study, a long-term study following the health of individuals from childhood to adulthood. They identified a group of 256 genes, known as a gene module, whose expression levels were linked to both depressive symptoms and cardiovascular health. Notably, three genes within this module have previously been associated with neurodegenerative diseases, bipolar disorder, and depression.
This finding suggests that depression and CVD may share biological processes, such as inflammation, which contribute to their pathogenesis. Other genes in the shared module have also been implicated in brain diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s disease.
The researchers propose that these genes could serve as potential biomarkers for both depression and CVD, providing valuable insights for diagnosis and monitoring. Furthermore, the identification of this shared gene module opens up avenues for developing preventative strategies that target both diseases simultaneously.
This study provides a significant advancement in understanding the connection between depression and CVD, offering new insights for research and clinical practice.
