Approved Research

Exploring environmental risks and adverse behavior outcomes of mood disorders and its molecular underpinnings: longitudinal analysis of UK Biobank data

Lay summary

Aims: The aims of this research are to explore environmental risk factors of mood disorders and discuss its biological basis; to establish risk prognostic models of mood disorders; to analyze the effects of mood disorders on body internal environment and adverse personal behaviors such as substance use, self-harm and suicide; and to clarify molecular underpinnings and biopsychosocial pathways of the behavior changes brought by mood disorders.

Scientific rationale: Mood disorders, such as depression, anxiety and schizophrenia, are the top causes of disability and have brought great burden to society. Previous studies had explored the biological biomarkers and pathways of mood disorders, but how individual interact with environment and society during each stage of mood disorders' episodes remained unclear. Besides, there is insufficient evidence on molecular underpinnings and biopsychosocial pathways of behavior changes resulted from mood disorders, such as self-harm and suicide. In this case, we want to use the population-based large cohort data from UK Biobank to explore environmental risk factors and predict the onset and development of mood disorders, to analyze the changes on body internal environment and adverse behaviors such as self-harm and suicide brought by mood disorders and to clarify molecular underpinnings and biopsychosocial pathways of those changes.

Project duration: This study will last for at least 36 months.

Public health impact: We hope the results of this study could help us better understand the onset and development of mood disorders in a biopsychosocial way and learn more about how mood disorders affect physical health and adverse behaviors, such as self-harm and suicide. With findings from this research, policies and guidelines could be published to create a psycho-friendly society and reduce environmental risks of mood disorders. Meanwhile, more people with high risks of mood disorders could be recognized and get access to mental health services. Besides, health workers could better evaluate and intervene the modifiable risk factors of mood disorders and prevent adverse outcomes earlier, which could relieve the care burden and cost of both family and the government.

Current scope:

This study has three research questions:

1) What are the predisposing and environmental risk factors of mood disorders and why?

2) How would mood disorders affect adverse personal behaviors such as substance use, self-harm and suicide?

3) What are the molecular underpinnings and pathways of behavior changes result from mood disorders?

In consistence with research questions above, we have four research aims:

1) To explore environmental risk factors of mood disorders and its biological basis;

2) To establish risk prognostic models of mood disorders;

3) To analyze the effects of mood disorders on body internal environment and adverse personal behaviors such as substance use, self-harm and suicide;

4) To clarify molecular underpinnings and biopsychosocial pathways of the behavior changes brought by mood disorders.

Additional work:

1. Extension Scope: We intended to extend the current scope of "adverse behavior outcomes of mood disorders" into "adverse outcomes of mood disorders", which include not only behavior problems (e.g., self-harm, suicide), but physical diseases as well.
2. Additional Analyses: The analyses of extension scope will be similar to the current scope, expect that the outcomes will include more physical diseases such as thyroid disease, autoimmune disease and etc. The correlations between physical diseases and mood disorders will be fully discussed under the extension scope. In terms of statistical analyses, Cox Proportional-Hazards Regression, Network analysis and Disease trajectory model with a cohort study design will be the main methods used for the extension scope.

3. Additional data-fields: No additional data-fields is needed for the extension scope.