Women more Depressed and Men more Impulsive with Reduced Serotonin Functioning
Women and men appear to respond differently to the same biochemical manipulation. Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the most common mental disorders, and it is also one of the most studied. It is already known that reduced serotonin transmission contributes to the pathophysiology, or functional changes, associated with MDD and most of today’s most popular antidepressants block the serotonin “uptake site”, also known as the transporter, in the brain. It is also known that people with MDD are frequently found to have impaired impulse control. A new study being published in the September 15th issue of Biological Psychiatry now reports on important sex and genetic differences in the way that men and women react to reductions in serotonin function, specifically in terms of their mood and impulsivity.
We’ve long known that more women seek treatment for depression than men. The assumption has been that as many men as women are depressed but in our culture women are more likely to ask for help.
Dr. (Espen) Walderhaug comments that their study’s findings “might be relevant in understanding why women show a higher prevalence of mood and anxiety disorders compared to men, while men show a higher prevalence of alcoholism, ADHD and impulse control disorders.”
No one wants to put too much credence in one study. The implications, should the study be replicated, are far reaching. Men may experience the same serotonin malfunctions as women but show radically different symptoms.
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So … let me get this straight … men and women are DIFFERENT? Wow .. who could have seen THAT coming?
Who knew?
I sure hope they don’t try to “fix it”. The thought of you in a skirt is more that I want to face.
I’m going to take that as gospel truth and let it shape my worldview.
OK, not really. But it’s an interesting result.