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Open Access 18-04-2024 | Postpartum Depression | Original Article

Causal effects of neuroticism on postpartum depression: a bidirectional mendelian randomization study

Authors: Qianying Hu, Jianhua Chen, Jingjing Ma, Yuting Li, Yifeng Xu, Chaoyan Yue, Enzhao Cong

Published in: Archives of Women's Mental Health

Abstract

Purpose

Postpartum depression (PPD) brings adverse and serious consequences to both new parents and newborns. Neuroticism affects PPD, which remains controversial for confounding factors and reverse causality in cross-sectional research. Therefore, mendelian randomization (MR) study has been adopted to investigate their causal relationship.

Methods

This study utilized large-scale genome-wide association study genetic pooled data from three major databases: the United Kingdom Biobank, the European Bioinformatics Institute, and the FinnGen databases. The causal analysis methods used inverse variance weighting (IVW). The weighted median, MR-Egger method, MR-PRESSO test, and the leave-one-out sensitivity test have been used to examine the results’ robustness, heterogeneity, and horizontal pleiotropy. The fixed effect model yielded the results of meta-analysis.

Results

In the IVW model, a meta-analysis of the MR study showed that neuroticism increased the risk of PPD (OR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.11–1.25, p < 0.01). Reverse analysis showed that PPD could not genetically predict neuroticism. There was no significant heterogeneity or horizontal pleiotropy bias in this result.

Conclusion

Our study suggests neuroticism is the risk factor for PPD from a gene perspective and PPD is not the risk factor for neuroticism. This finding may provide new insights into prevention and intervention strategies for PPD according to early detection of neuroticism.

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Title: Causal effects of neuroticism on postpartum depression: a bidirectional mendelian randomization study
Authors: Qianying Hu
Jianhua Chen
Jingjing Ma
Yuting Li
Yifeng Xu
Chaoyan Yue
Enzhao Cong
Publication date: 18-04-2024
Publisher: Springer Vienna
Keywords: Postpartum Depression
Postpartum Depression
Published in: Archives of Women's Mental Health
Print ISSN: 1434-1816
Electronic ISSN: 1435-1102
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-024-01466-w

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Causal effects of neuroticism on postpartum depression: a bidirectional mendelian randomization study

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusion

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusion

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