Abstract
ObjectivesUK Biobank is a landmark cohort of over 500,000 participants which will be used to investigate genetic and non-genetic risk factors for a wide range of adverse health outcomes. This is the first study to systematically assess the prevalence and validity of proposed criteria for probable mood disorders within the cohort (major depression and bipolar disorder).MethodsThis was a descriptive epidemiological study of 172,751 individuals assessed for a lifetime history of mood disorder in relation to a range of demographic, social, lifestyle, personality and health-related factors. The main outcomes were prevalence of a probable lifetime (single) episode of major depression, probable recurrent major depressive disorder (moderate), probable recurrent major depressive disorder (severe), probable bipolar disorder and no history of mood disorder (comparison group). Outcomes were compared on age, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, educational attainment, functioning, self-reported health status, current depressive symptoms, neuroticism score, smoking status and alcohol use.ResultsPrevalence rates for probable single lifetime episode of major depression (6.4%), probable recurrent major depression (moderate) (12.2%), probable recurrent major depression (severe) (7.2%) and probable bipolar disorder (1.3%) were comparable to those found in other population studies. The proposed diagnostic criteria have promising validity, with a gradient in evidence from no mood disorder through major depression and probable bipolar disorder in terms of gender distribution, socioeconomic status, self-reported health rating, current depressive symptoms and smoking.SignificanceThe validity of our proposed criteria for probable major depression and probable bipolar disorder within this cohort are supported by these cross-sectional analyses. Our findings are likely to prove useful as a framework for a wide range of future genetic and non-genetic studies.
Highlights
The UK Biobank cohort was recently launched as a landmark resource for health-related research which is available to researchers across the world [1]
Prevalence of a lifetime diagnosis of probable major depression and bipolar disorder From the sample of 172,751 participants who were assessed for depressive and manic symptoms, 149,847 provided sufficient data to allow an assessment of probable bipolar disorder and/or probable major depression
The remaining 123,000 participants were coded within mood disordered and nonmood disordered groups as follows: 7,927 (6.4% satisfied criteria for a probable single lifetime episode of major depression; 15,013 (12.2%) for probable recurrent major depression; 8,906 (7.2%) for probable recurrent major depression; 1,615 (1.3%) for probable bipolar disorder; and 89,539 (72.8%) participants did not satisfy any of our proposed mood disorder criteria and formed a ‘no mood disorder’ comparison group (Figure 4)
Summary
The UK Biobank cohort was recently launched as a landmark resource for health-related research which is available to researchers across the world [1]. It comprises more than 500,000 men and women aged 40–69 years recruited from the general population in the United Kingdom and who represent a wide range of exposures typical of the UK population [2]. The UK Biobank cohort represents a valuable opportunity to study the long-term impact of mood disorder symptoms on a wide range of health and cognitive outcomes. There will be opportunities to integrate genetic and environmental data to better understand risk for mood disorder, as well as comorbidity with many physical disorders such as obesity and cardiovascular disease and, longer-term, risk for dementia and premature mortality
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