Study Identifies Circadian Depression Subtype Affecting Body Clocks
· World · ABC News (AU), The Guardian
An Australian study published in The British Journal of Psychiatry indicates that approximately one in four individuals with severe depression experience a distinct condition known as circadian depression. Researchers at the University of Sydney examined clinical and genetic data from 11,380 Australians suffering from persistent mood disorders and found that 2,604 participants met the criteria for this subtype. Affected individuals frequently report waking up extremely tired, sleeping more during depressive episodes, and exhibiting night owl tendencies linked to internal clock disruptions. Lead researcher Emiliana Tonini stated that identifying this specific subset allows for more tailored early interventions compared to treating depression as a uniform illness. The World Health Organization estimates that about 322 million people globally suffer from depression.
Why it matters
Mental health professionals can develop more precise therapies for millions of patients whose depressive symptoms stem from circadian rhythm dysregulation.
Read the original report — ABC News (AU)
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