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Do you and a family member have depression?
Please consider taking part in a nationwide research study, sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health:
Genetics of Recurrent Early-onset Depression (GenRED)
You may be able to participate if: - your depression started by age 30, - you have had more than one period of depression in your life, and - at least one brother, sister or parent has also had depression.
For more information (all emails and calls are confidential):
Contact our national coordinating center at the University of Pennsylvania: or call toll-free 877-407-9529
If you prefer, you can contact a participating university directly:
Columbia University: email: sibhealth@childpsych.columbia.edu, or call 212-543-6297 web page: http://www.nyspi.org/depression Howard University: email: gendepression@howard.edu, or call 202-806-7642 Johns Hopkins University: email: moods@jhu.edu, or call 410-614-1017, web page: www.hopkinsmedicine.org/psychiatry/moods/genetics University of Iowa: email: nancy-hale@uiowa.edu, or call 888-850-8531 Rush University Medical Center (Chicago): email: Michael_J_Purcell@rush.edu, or call 888-820-3395 For complete GenRED site contact information, click here. Solving the Genetics of Major Depression The study will create a DNA collection from over 2,000 people to permit scientists to search for depression-related genes. These scientists will not be given any information that could identify you or your family.
Benefits of Participating
·Finding relevant genes could lead to the development of better treatments. ·You will receive reimbursement for participation.
Who Can Participate? People who have had 2 or more periods of depression. The first depression started by age 30 or younger. At least one brother, sister or parent has also had depression (by age 40 or younger). We are unable to include people with bipolar disorder, or with bipolar disorder in the immediate family (but there is a similar study of bipolar disorder, click here: http://www.bipolargenes.org/).
If you volunteer You will be interviewed about your personal and family mental health history. You do not need to live near our sites. Interviews can be completed by phone. You will be asked for a blood specimen for DNA studies. You may be asked for help in inviting family members to participate, but family participation is not required. Confidentiality is protected.
Do genes cause depression? Studies of depression in families suggest that around 50% of the predisposition to major depression is caused by genes. People with recurrent depression that starts at a younger age have more relatives with depression. There are probably many interacting genes, rather than a single gene as in some medical disorders.
Why find these genes? Identifying these genes would help us to understand the brain mechanisms involved in severe depression. This could lead to discovery of new treatments.
Contact us at: (or call toll-free 877-407-9529) For complete GenRED site contact information, click here.
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