Depression: gene test shows which children are at risk

Many children and young people Depression is detected, is often too late. Medical scientists have now succeeded for the first time on the basis of a genetic profile, the risk of serious disease predict.

In Germany, more than half of the children and adolescents who suffer from Depression are not treated in a timely manner. An international team of researchers has now found for the first time, that using a genetic profile to predict whether an increased risk is present. "There is still much to be done to improve the early diagnosis. If, however, we know that children develop with a higher probability of a Depression, we have the possibility of effective prevention strategies and to reduzieren&quot the enormous burden of Depression;, study Director, Professor Dr. Dr. Elisabeth Binder at the Max-Planck-Institute of psychiatry (MPI) in Munich says.

The basis for the investigation of large-scale studies with adults have brought in the past year, important findings on the genetics of Depression. The Team tested whether the genetic Profiles can also be used to make predictions about the emergence, the severity, and the disease beginning at a young age. Over 2,000 children and young people were genetically examined with questionnaires and clinical Interviews.

The scientists also found out that in the case of already diseased children and adolescents, the link between increased genetic risk profile and the Severity of the Depression, as well as the initial age of onset.

NK