ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Health → Mind & Brain

Adolescent girls and boys may experience depression differently

Your gender might have a say in how people experience mental disorders.

Tibi PuiubyTibi Puiu
July 11, 2017
in Mind & Brain, News
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

RelatedPosts

We’ve got some major AI ethics blind spots and we’re running out of time to fix them
Microorganisms can thrive in a 100% hydrogen atmosphere
Jackdaws can distinguish ‘dangerous’ people from friendly ones
Red Wine, Fruits And Vegetables May Stop Cancer

Depression seems to affect men and women differently, particularly in adolescents. The findings reported by researchers at the University of Cambridge, UK, suggest that sex-specific treatments might be beneficial for adolescents.

Credit: Pixabay.
Credit: Pixabay.

“Men are more liable to suffer from persistent depression, whereas in women depression tends to be more episodic,” explains Jie-Yu Chuang, a researcher at the University of Cambridge, and an author on the study, which was recently published in Frontiers in Psychiatry. “Compared with women, depressed men are also more likely to suffer serious consequences from their depression, such as substance abuse and suicide.”

These widely reported differences prompted Chuang and colleagues to investigate in greater detail male and female response to depression. The team recruited 82 females and 24 males suffering from clinical depression and 24 females and 10 males who are healthy to act as controls. If you find that’s oddly disproportional, well, it’s just further proof that depression is far more common in women. By 15 years of age, girls are twice as likely to suffer from depression as boys.

Using magnetic resonance imaging, the scientists performed brain scans while each participant watched happy, sad or neutral words flash on a computer screen in a specific order.

When words in a certain combination appeared on the screen, it was noted that that the neural response of the depressed individuals differed according to their gender. Specifically, it was the activity in the brain regions such as the supramarginal gyrus and posterior cingulate that differed the most. These brain regions have been previously linked to depression but it’s not clear at this point why they are affected differently in depressed males and females, particularly teenagers.

There are some possible explanations, though. These included hormonal fluctuations and genetic factors. For instance, previous research suggests women are more at risk of inheriting depression.

The study does have its limitations, though. The small sample size and the disproportional participants of boys and girls might not mean the results are representative. “I think it would be great to conduct a large longitudinal study addressing sex differences in depression from adolescence to adulthood,” Chuang admitted.

ShareTweetShare
Tibi Puiu

Tibi Puiu

Tibi is a science journalist and co-founder of ZME Science. He writes mainly about emerging tech, physics, climate, and space. In his spare time, Tibi likes to make weird music on his computer and groom felines. He has a B.Sc in mechanical engineering and an M.Sc in renewable energy systems.

Related Posts

Genetics

This Superbug Learned How to Feed on Plastic from Hospitals

byMihai Andrei
9 hours ago
Biology

China’s Tiangong space station has some bacteria that are unknown to science

byMihai Andrei
9 hours ago
News

Hidden Communication Devices Found in Chinese-Made Inverters Could Put U.S. Electrical Grid at Risk

byTudor Tarita
9 hours ago
Health

Patients on Weight Loss Drugs Like Wegovy May Say They Just Don’t Want to Drink Anymore

byTudor Tarita
10 hours ago

Recent news

This Superbug Learned How to Feed on Plastic from Hospitals

May 20, 2025

China’s Tiangong space station has some bacteria that are unknown to science

May 20, 2025

Hidden Communication Devices Found in Chinese-Made Inverters Could Put U.S. Electrical Grid at Risk

May 20, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.