Cohort profile: BioMD-Y (biopsychosocial factors of major depression in youth) - a biobank study on the molecular genetics and environmental factors of depression in children and adolescents in Munich.

Abstract

BioMD-Y is a comprehensive biobank study of children and adolescents with major depression (MD) and their healthy peers in Germany, collecting a host of both biological and psychosocial information from the participants and their parents with the aim of exploring genetic and environmental risk and protective factors for MD in children and adolescents. Children and adolescents aged 8-18 years are recruited to either the clinical case group (MD, diagnosis of MD disorder) or the typically developing control group (absence of any psychiatric condition). To date, four publications on both genetic and environmental risk and resilience factors (including <i>FKBP5</i>, glucocorticoid receptor activation, polygenic risk scores, psychosocial and sociodemographic risk and resilience factors) have been published based on the BioMD-Y sample. Data collection is currently scheduled to continue into 2026. Research questions will be further addressed using available measures.