Researchers identified two distinct depressive profiles in a seven-year study of nearly 6,000 adults: one with melancholic symptoms like early morning awakening and reduced appetite, and another with atypical or energy-related symptoms such as fatigue, increased sleep, and increased appetite.

The study, conducted on participants initially free of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, found that those with melancholic depression had about a 1.5 times higher risk of developing cardiovascular conditions like heart attack or stroke.

Conversely, individuals with atypical or energy-related depression symptoms were approximately 2.7 times more likely to develop Type-2 diabetes, though their risk for cardiovascular disease did not significantly increase.

Biological analysis revealed that people with atypical symptoms exhibited disruptions in inflammatory and metabolic processes linked to cardiometabolic health, a pattern not seen in melancholic depression, indicating biochemical differences in how depression affects physical health.

Understanding these biological signatures could pave the way for more personalized treatment approaches, aligning with the goals of precision psychiatry.

Experts like Dr. Chiara Fabbri emphasize the importance of preventing and treating physical diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular conditions in people with depression, especially given the rising prevalence of these illnesses.

Studies like this are valuable for improving health monitoring and enabling early intervention to address physical health risks associated with different depression types.