Review, 2026
Do PMDD, postpartum depression and perimenopausal depression have the same genetic causes?
It's unclear. Researchers have looked at several of the same genes in all three conditions but found inconsistent results. Most genetic research has focused on postpartum depression, not PMDD.
What they did
Review of genetic research on three types of reproductive depression: PMDD, postpartum depression and perimenopausal depression. Examined which genes have been studied and compared findings across these conditions.
What they found
Postpartum depression has been much more studied genetically than PMDD or perimenopausal depression. Several candidate genes show up in studies of all three conditions (5-HTT, COMT, MAO-A, TPH1, ESR1) but findings are inconsistent. No genome-wide association studies exist yet for PMDD or perimenopausal depression. Genome-wide studies of postpartum depression (though limited by small sample sizes) show both unique genetic factors and shared factors with other psychiatric conditions.
What it means for you
The genetic basis of PMDD is still largely unknown compared to postpartum depression. It's not clear whether these three depression types share genetic causes. Larger, better-designed studies including diverse populations are needed to understand genetics and find new treatments. Main limits: most research focuses on postpartum depression and very few genetic studies of PMDD exist.
3
reproductive depression types reviewed
About the study
- Original title
- The genetic architecture of reproductive subtypes of depression in females
- Authors
- Crestol A, Oppenheimer H, Koeppel CJ et al.
- Journal
- Frontiers in neuroendocrinology
- Year
- 2026
- Study design
- Review
- What was tested
- None; literature review
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/j.yfrne.2025.101230
Topics
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