Gender and depression

The most common forms of affective disorder are ‘major depression’ and ‘bipolar disorder’ (i. e. major depression plus mania occurring at some time in the person's life). There is now consistent evidence from epidemiological, family and clinical studies that the rates of major depression are about twofold higher among women than men, and that the sex ratios of bipolar disorder are equal. Many explanations, including artifactual, psychosocial,...