Disentangling the relationship between depression and chronic widespread pain: A Mendelian randomisation study

Area of Science:

• Genetics
• Epidemiology
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Depression and chronic widespread pain (CWP) frequently co-occur.
• The causal relationship between depression and CWP is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the bidirectional causal relationship between depression and CWP.
• To determine if depression is a causal risk factor for CWP and vice versa.

Main Methods:

• A two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study was conducted.
• Large population-level genetic data for depression and CWP were utilized.
• The Causal Analysis Using Summary Effect estimates (CAUSE) method was employed, accounting for sample overlap.

Main Results:

• Genetic liability to depression significantly increased the risk of CWP (OR 1.004).
• Genetic liability to CWP significantly increased depression susceptibility (OR 2.31).
• Bidirectional causality was supported by Mendelian randomization analyses.

Conclusions:

• This study provides robust evidence for a bidirectional causal relationship between depression and CWP.
• Interventions targeting depression may help prevent or alleviate CWP, and vice versa.
• The findings overcome limitations of previous epidemiological studies.