Pilot Study of Early-Onset Major Depression and Exosomal MicroRNA Cargo Enriched for Neuronal Cell Origin

Major depression (MD) is highly prevalent, ranking second in the global burden of disease, with an overall lifetime risk estimated to be 16.2% in the general population. This pilot study addresses the molecular genetics of early life depression by characterizing the composition of extracellular vesicle (ECV) microRNA cargo in a phenotypically rich, extant twin sample (Parent R01 MH101518; Ntotal=860 twins; ages 15-22; 57% female). We will target both bulk and neuronal-enriched ECVs and analyze the microRNA (miRNA) cargo to investigate potential biomarkers of differential biological pathway regulation based on multiple definitions and markers of MD in young people.