Genome-Wide Association Study of Sleep Disturbances in Depressive Disorders

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Genetics
• Sleep Medicine

Background:

• Sleep disturbance is prevalent in approximately 75% of individuals with depression, correlating with poorer patient outcomes.
• Genetic research into sleep disturbances in depression is an emerging field, with prior studies focusing only on core circadian genes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and a hypothesis-driven analysis of sleep-related genes in individuals with depression.
• To explore potential genetic associations with sleep disturbances in a cohort of depressed patients.

Main Methods:

• A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed on participants diagnosed with depression.
• A hypothesis-driven analysis focused on 27 genes involved in sleep biology.
• Phenotype data derived from Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Udvalg for Kliniske Undersogelser Side Effect Rating Scale questionnaires.

Main Results:

• No significant GWAS hits were identified. The top hit was an intergenic marker near SNX18 for changes in sleep (p = 1.06 × 10^-6).
• None of the markers in the hypothesis-driven analysis remained significant after Bonferroni correction. The top finding was for rs13019460 of Neuronal PAS Domain Protein 2 (p = 0.0009).
• Baseline BDI scores differed significantly between individuals with and without sleep problems (n = 364).

Conclusions:

• The study did not detect significant genetic associations with sleep disturbances in depression within the current sample size.
• Preliminary findings, including a top hit near SNX18 and a marker in Neuronal PAS Domain Protein 2, suggest potential avenues for future research.
• Larger sample sizes are needed to confirm these preliminary associations and advance understanding of the genetics of sleep disturbances in depression.