Gender differences in symptom profiles of individuals being treated for mood disorders

A growing body of research suggests that symptoms of mood disorders vary by gender. Such differences could reflect unique mood phenotypes for women and men. We examined whether women and men with mood disorders had comparable or distinct profiles of anxiety and depressive symptoms, along with demographic and clinical variables associated with these profiles.

Our research involved a secondary analysis of data collected from 36,381 adults (age 18-98; 67.2 % women and 32.8 % men) through the National Network of Depression Center's Mood Outcomes Program. Latent class analysis (LCA) and logistic regression modeling were used to examine the aims. Symptoms included in the LCA were derived from the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale.

Four latent classes were identified and labeled based on their predominant symptoms (BIC: 629,688.56; VLMR: 3787.30, p < .01). Women had greater odds of experiencing 'Demoralized Depression' than men (OR = 1.22, p = .001), with women of reproductive age having the greatest odds. Men had greater odds than women of having symptom profiles that reflected 'Anxious Arousal' (OR = .88, p = .001) or 'Mild Fatigue and Insomnia' (OR = .89, p = .001). There was no gender difference in the odds of a 'Comorbid Anxiety and Depression' profile.

Results suggest gender-specific phenotypes that differentially characterize mood disturbances, although effect sizes were small. Further research is needed to confirm these phenotypes and identify sexually dimorphic biomarkers or psychosocial exposures that may underlie gender differences. Understanding the heterogeneity of phenotypes can inform precision-based assessment and treatment of mood disorders, improving affective well-being of women and men in the long term.