Atopy and depression: results from the northern finland 1966 birth cohort study

ABSTRACT Several studies have suggested an association between IgE-mediated atopic allergies and depression. The present study extends our understanding about putative gender differences of

this association and provides further epidemiological evidence for our previous finding that the association between atopy and depression may be characteristic for females only. In order to

clearly determine the presence of atopic disorders and depression, we used more valid tools than had been employed earlier and we had access to a database (the Northern Finland 1966 Birth

Cohort), in which individuals were followed up prospectively until the age of 31 years. The information on allergic symptoms, verified by skin-prick tests and comprising data of 5518

individuals, was used to ascertain the presence of atopy. Depression was assessed with the help of Hopkins' Symptom Checklist-25 and self-reported doctor-diagnosed depression. After

adjusting for a father's social class, mother's parity, and place of residence, logistic regression analyses showed that the risk of developing depression increased in parallel

with the increasing severity of depression and, when compared with nonatopic subjects, was 3.0 to 4.7-fold up in atopic females and statistically significant. In atopic males, the

association between atopy and depression was statistically significant only in the highest depression scores, the odds ratio being 6.3-fold. The results indicate that females suffering from

atopic diseases might possess an elevated risk of developing depression already during early adulthood. In males, the association between these two disorders is evident only among the most

severe manifestations of depression. Possible background theories, that is, genetic abnormalities in serotonin metabolism, HPA-axis dysfunction, and histamine theory are discussed. Access

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SIMILAR CONTENT BEING VIEWED BY OTHERS ALLERGIC DISEASES ATTRIBUTABLE TO ATOPY IN A POPULATION SAMPLE OF ASIAN CHILDREN Article Open access 06 August 2021 LONGITUDINAL FOLLOW-UP OF THE

ASTHMA STATUS IN A FRENCH–CANADIAN COHORT Article Open access 13 August 2022 INCIDENCE AND REMISSION OF AEROALLERGEN SENSITIZATION IN ADULTS IN NORTHERN FINLAND: 15 YEARS LONGITUDINAL STUDY

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This study was supported by grants from the Allergiatutkimussäätiö (Foundation of Allergy Research). AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * Oulu Health Center, City

of Oulu, Finland M Timonen * Department of Public Health Science and General Practice, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland M Timonen * Department of Psychiatry, Oulu University Hospital, OYS,

Finland J Jokelainen, H Hakko & A Herva * Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland S Silvennoinen-Kassinen * School of Engineering & Science,

International University Bremen, Bremen, Germany V B Meyer-Rochow * Department of Biology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland V B Meyer-Rochow * Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu,

Oulu, Finland P Räsänen Authors * M Timonen View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * J Jokelainen View author publications You can also search

for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * H Hakko View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * S Silvennoinen-Kassinen View author publications You

can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * V B Meyer-Rochow View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * A Herva View author

publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * P Räsänen View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar CORRESPONDING AUTHOR

Correspondence to M Timonen. RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Timonen, M., Jokelainen, J., Hakko, H. _et al._ Atopy and depression:

results from the Northern Finland 1966 Birth Cohort Study. _Mol Psychiatry_ 8, 738–744 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.mp.4001274 Download citation * Received: 09 July 2002 * Revised: 19

July 2002 * Accepted: 16 September 2002 * Published: 30 July 2003 * Issue Date: 01 August 2003 * DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.mp.4001274 SHARE THIS ARTICLE Anyone you share the following

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SharedIt content-sharing initiative KEYWORDS * cohort study * prick test * atopy * allergy * HSCL * depression