Depression is a significant cause of reduced quality of life and is also associated with an increased risk of cardiometabolic diseases and premature death. Some studies suggest a bidirectional relationship between depression and cardiometabolic diseases.
This research project, which consists of several subprojects, utilises data from the UK Biobank to explore the interplay between metabolic biomarkers, cardiometabolic outcomes, depression, and suicidal behaviour. By investigating whether metabolic signatures can predict the risk of depression or suicidal behaviour and how depressive disorders or suicidal behaviour may influence the risk of cardiovascular diseases, the project aims to uncover mechanisms contributing to these connections.
The first subproject, PHENOTARGET, will specifically examine the sex-specific interrelationships between baseline metabolic patterns and future depression, determined as distinct phenotypes, and investigate whether patterns of physical activity prevent and modify these associations. The second subproject will characterize biomarker profiles for chronotype, sleep disorders, and suicidal behavior, and investigate whether these profiles predict subsequent psychiatric, suicidal, and cardiometabolic outcomes. Furthermore, the third subproject will investigate metabolomics-based profiles of hormonal contraception over a 20-year period, and explore whether they are associated with women’s health outcomes at older age.
The knowledge gained from this project will inform strategies for prevention and treatment of depression, suicidal behaviour, sleep disorders and associated cardiometabolic diseases.