In Case You Haven't Heard

Researchers at King's College London are launching the largest ever single study of depression and anxiety, Neuro News reported Sept. 18. By recruiting at least 40,000 people in England who have experienced either depression or anxiety at some point in their life, the Genetic Links to Anxiety and Depression (GLAD) study will make important strides toward better understanding of these disorders and improving the lives of future patients, say officials. GLAD will provide a “bank” of potential participants for future studies on the genetic aspects of these two conditions and reduce the time‐consuming process of recruiting patients for research. Research has shown 30–40 percent of the risk for both depression and anxiety is genetic and 60–70 percent is due to environmental factors. Only by having a large, diverse group of people available for future studies will researchers be able to determine how genetic and environmental triggers interact to cause anxiety and depression and how to develop more effective treatments.