Reviewing Genetic Insights into Depression: Exploring Polygenic Score Risk and Environmental Influences in Depression

Depression is a prevalent and debilitating mental health condition with significant global burden. Understanding its genetic basis has become increasingly important, with the advent of polygenic scores (PGS) offering insights into the interplay between genetic predisposition and environmental factors. This review paper provides an overview of the genetic architecture of depression and introduces PGS for depression, highlighting their potential applications in research and clinical settings. We discuss the complexities of depression as a polygenic trait influenced by both genetic and environmental factors, emphasizing the importance of integrating non-genetic risk factors to improve risk prediction models. Additionally, we review key findings from studies investigating the relationship between PGS for depression and various environmental factors such as stressful life events, childhood trauma, social support, and physical activity. While the evidence on gene-environment interactions in depression remains inconsistent, emerging research suggests that certain environmental factors may exacerbate or mitigate genetic susceptibility to depression. We conclude by emphasizing the need for further research to elucidate the mechanisms underlying these interactions and to identify protective factors that can inform targeted interventions for depression. Overall, incorporating PGS for depression into research endeavors holds promise for advancing our understanding of depression etiology and improving risk assessment and intervention strategies.