Breakthrough study identifies 44 genes linked to depression

Discovery raises hopes of a new generation of treatments for the disorder

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As many as one in four people will be affected by depression at some point in their life
(Image credit: Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP/Getty Images)

Groundbreaking new research mapping out the genetic foundations of depression in unprecedented detail has raised hopes of finding more effective treatments for the mental disorder.

Researchers have identified 44 gene variants that increase the risk of developing depression, The Guardian reports. Of these variants, 30 have never been connected to the condition before, according to a paper published in journal Nature Genetics.

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