Factors related to depression in women - over the life course

FACTORS RELATED TO DEPRESSION IN WOMEN – OVER THE LIFE COURSE Pia Gudmundsson Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden 2012 Background: Depression is a serious and common disorder that is predominant in women and has an unclear etiology. To evaluate factors related to depression is of great value and the main purpose of this thesis. A life course approach and a focus on biological factors are applied. Methods: Biological factors were investigated in relationship to depression in the Prospective Population Study of Women in Gothenburg (PPSW), a multi-disciplinary longitudinal study on a representative sample of women first examined in 1968-69 (N=1462). Psychiatric examinations were performed in a subsample of women at baseline (N=800), and at four follow-ups until year 2002. Diagnoses of depression were based on DSM-III-R criteria and multiple sources of information were used. Birth-related factors were abstracted from original midwife records (n=803), and evaluated longitudinally in relationship to lifetime depression (Paper I). In 1992, a subsample of 84 women without dementia participated in lumbar punctures and CSF was analysed for biomarkers. Levels of biomarkers were assessed cross-sectionally in relationship to depression (Paper II and III). Results: Paper I showed that 44.6% (n=358) of women experienced any lifetime depression. Birth weight