Depression hits sexes differently

MEN’S and women’s brains react differently to depression, research suggests.

And that may mean they should receive different treatments.

Researchers at Cambridge University conducted brain scans on 82 girls and 24 boys suffering from depression. All were aged between 11 and 18.

The scientists scanned the adolescents’ brains while flashing happy, sad or neutral words on a screen. When certain combinations of words were flashed, they found that depression affected brain activity differently between boys and girls in certain brain regions.

Researcher Jie-Yu Chuang said: ‘Men are more liable to suffer from persistent depression, whereas in women depression tends to be more episodic.

‘Sex-specific treatment and prevention strategies should be considered.’