Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Depressive Disorders: Etiology01:27

Depressive Disorders: Etiology

444
Depressive disorders result from a complex interplay of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors, each contributing uniquely to the development and persistence of the condition. Understanding these factors provides critical insight into the multifaceted nature of depression.
Biological Factors in Depression
Biological predispositions significantly influence the risk of developing depressive disorders. Genetic studies highlight the role of variations in the serotonin transporter...
444
Long-term Depression01:03

Long-term Depression

3.1K
Long-term depression, or LTD, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTD is the process of synaptic weakening that occurs over time between pre and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic weakening of LTD works in opposition to synaptic strengthening by long-term potentiation (LTP) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.
Calcium Ion Concentration Mechanism
If over...
3.1K
Long-term Depression01:05

Long-term Depression

33.1K
Long-term depression, or LTD, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTD is the process of synaptic weakening that occurs over time between pre and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic weakening of LTD works in opposition to synaptic strengthening by long-term potentiation (LTP) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.
33.1K
Depression: Overview01:18

Depression: Overview

794
Depression is a prevalent mental illness marked by persistent sadness and lack of interest in previously enjoyable activities. It can take several forms, including major depression, persistent depressive disorder, and bipolar I and II disorders. Symptoms range from emotional changes like chronic worry to physical changes like sleep disturbances and suicidal thoughts. From a neurobiological perspective, depression is believed to be triggered by abnormalities in the brain's prefrontal cortex,...
794
Biological Causes of Schizophrenia01:29

Biological Causes of Schizophrenia

501
Schizophrenia, a severe psychiatric disorder, arises from a complex interplay of biological factors, including genetic predisposition, structural brain abnormalities, neurotransmitter dysregulation, and developmental irregularities. These factors collectively contribute to the onset and progression of the disorder, which typically manifests in late adolescence or early adulthood.
Genetic Factors in Schizophrenia
The genetic basis of schizophrenia is strongly supported by family and twin...
501
Human Genetics01:28

Human Genetics

1.5K
Human genetics provides a profound framework for understanding the interplay between genetic predispositions and human psychology. At the heart of this discipline lies the study of how genes influence physical traits, behaviors, and susceptibility to diseases. Each person carries a unique genetic code that subtly or significantly shapes their psychological and behavioral landscape.
The complex relationship between genetics and psychology is observable through common biological components such...
1.5K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Genome-wide genetic overlap between fear-based disorders and generalised anxiety disorder.

Molecular psychiatry·2026
Same author

Co-expression-based models improve eQTL predictions for transcriptome-wide association studies and highlight new schizophrenia-associated genes.

Nature genetics·2026
Same author

Genome-wide meta-analysis of quantitatively measured generalized anxiety symptoms in individuals of European ancestry.

Nature human behaviour·2026
Same author

The non-linear and linear effects of CYP2C19 metaboliser status on DNA methylation: a methylome-wide association study.

Clinical epigenetics·2026
Same author

Methylome-Wide Association Studies of Physical Injury Stratified by Depression Status Assesses Exposure by Diagnosis Effects in Oxytocin Signaling and Synaptic Plasticity.

Biological psychiatry global open science·2026
Same author

Age-dependent acceleration of structural brain aging in medication-free major depressive disorder linked to neuroanatomical phenotype findings from COORDINATE-MDD consortium.

medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 17, 2026

Abbiategrasso Brain Bank Protocol for Collecting, Processing and Characterizing Aging Brains
12:28

Abbiategrasso Brain Bank Protocol for Collecting, Processing and Characterizing Aging Brains

Published on: June 3, 2020

18.1K

Epigenetic and Structural Brain Aging and Their Associations With Major Depressive Disorder.

Eileen Y Xu1, Claire Green1, Daniel L McCartney2

  • 1Division of Psychiatry, Institute for Neuroscience and Cardiovascular Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.

Biological Psychiatry Global Open Science
|September 25, 2025
PubMed
Summary

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is linked to premature biological aging. This study found shared and distinct associations between brain aging, DNA methylation aging, and lifetime MDD, but not current MDD.

Keywords:
Biological ageBrain ageDepressionEpigenetic ageMajor depressive disorderMethylation

More Related Videos

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotion Regulation
14:04

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotion Regulation

Published on: August 26, 2011

13.0K
Rapid Fractionation and Isolation of Whole Blood Components in Samples Obtained from a Community-based Setting
11:31

Rapid Fractionation and Isolation of Whole Blood Components in Samples Obtained from a Community-based Setting

Published on: November 30, 2015

16.5K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 17, 2026

Abbiategrasso Brain Bank Protocol for Collecting, Processing and Characterizing Aging Brains
12:28

Abbiategrasso Brain Bank Protocol for Collecting, Processing and Characterizing Aging Brains

Published on: June 3, 2020

18.1K
Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotion Regulation
14:04

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotion Regulation

Published on: August 26, 2011

13.0K
Rapid Fractionation and Isolation of Whole Blood Components in Samples Obtained from a Community-based Setting
11:31

Rapid Fractionation and Isolation of Whole Blood Components in Samples Obtained from a Community-based Setting

Published on: November 30, 2015

16.5K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Genetics
  • Psychiatry

Background:

  • Major depressive disorder (MDD) is increasingly associated with premature biological aging.
  • Previous research often examined brain-based (BrainAge) and DNA methylation-based (DNAmAge) measures of biological age (BioAge) independently.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the associations of BrainAge and DNAmAge with lifetime and current MDD.
  • To explore shared and distinct contributions of premature brain and DNA methylation aging to MDD.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized cross-sectional data from Generation Scotland (GS:STRADL) and UK Biobank (UKB).
  • Assessed BrainAge and four DNAmAge measures (Horvath, Hannum, GrimAge, PhenoAge) using predicted age difference (PAD).
  • Controlled for age, sex, smoking, and alcohol intake; employed logistic regression to analyze associations.

Main Results:

  • Lifetime MDD was associated with significantly higher BrainAge and DNAmAge (1.60-2.45 years) in GS, except for Horvath age.
  • Lifetime MDD showed significant associations with GrimAge-PAD, PhenoAge-PAD, and Brain-PAD (OR=1.21-1.30) in GS and Brain-PAD (OR=1.05) in UKB.
  • PhenoAge-PAD and Brain-PAD together explained the maximum variance (AUC=0.69, R²=9%) for lifetime MDD; no associations found for current MDD.

Conclusions:

  • Premature brain aging and DNA methylation aging show both shared and distinct associations with lifetime MDD.
  • These findings contribute to understanding the biological aging processes implicated in depression.