Gene plus stress equals depression debate

A combined analysis of 14 studies disputes the idea that a particular gene variant interacts with stressful experiences to promote depression

The last thing depression investigators need is another dead-end research downer. Efforts to find genes that directly contribute to depression have come up empty. And a research team now concludes, after a closer inspection of accumulated research, that a gene variant initially tagged as a depression promoter when accompanied by stressful experiences actually has no such effect.