Mendelian randomization studies of depression: evidence, opportunities, and challenges.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Major depressive disorder (MDD) poses a significant social and economic burden worldwide. Identifying exposures, risk factors, and biological mechanisms that are causally connected to MDD can help build a scientific basis for disease prevention and development of novel therapeutic approaches.

Methods

In this systematic review, we assessed the evidence for causal relationships between putative causal risk factors and MDD from Mendelian randomization (MR) studies, following PRISMA. We assessed methodological quality based on key elements of the MR design: use of a full instrumental variable analysis and validation of the three key MR assumptions.

Results

We included methodological details and results from 52 articles. A causal link between lifestyle, metaboli

SUBMITTER: Ma WR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10666459 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature