Australian researchers have found evidence that women are genetically at a higher risk for clinical depression than men. This major finding could change the way the disorder is treated in the future.

In one of the largest studies of its kind, scientists analyzed the DNA of nearly 200,000 people with depression to find common genetic signs, or "flags." The project, led by the Berghofer Medical Research Institute, discovered that women had almost twice as many of these depression-linked genetic markers as men did.

Do Genes Play A Role In Depression?

It has long been known that depression affects more women than men, but the reasons have remained unclear. This study gives a big clue: the genetic part of depression is just bigger and stronger in females.

Genetic Markers: Women had about 13,000 genetic markers linked to depression, while men had about 7,000.

Unique Symptoms: These genetic differences might explain why depression in women often comes with other problems, like changes in body weight or energy levels. The genes may affect how the body manages energy and hormones differently in women.

How Is Depression Different In Men And Women

Johns Hopkins Medicine explains that it's been known for years that women are about twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with depression. In fact, depression is the leading health problem causing sickness among women worldwide. But the differences go beyond just who gets the diagnosis.

Depression often looks different in men. A doctor notes that women might come in feeling sad and crying, but men may show their depression through anger or aggressive behavior. This happens because, as they grow up, boys are often taught not to cry, so their sadness comes out as irritability and anger instead. The signs of depression can vary:

In Depressed Girls: They are more likely to worry about their body image, feel guilty or like a failure, have trouble focusing, and feel deep sadness.

In Depressed Boys: They are more likely to lose interest in their usual activities and feel more tired and down in the morning.

In Adults: Women are more likely to feel stressed, sad, and have sleep problems. Men are more likely to be irritable and have sudden bursts of anger.

Men and women also handle depression differently. Women are much more likely to seek help from a doctor or therapist. This difference is tragic when it comes to suicide:

• Men are four times more likely to die by suicide than women, making up almost 80% of all suicides. One reason for this is that men tend to choose more immediately lethal methods, like using a gun.
• Women are actually far more likely to have suicidal thoughts or attempt suicide using less lethal means, like poisoning.

What is The Best Way To Help?

The researchers say these findings must change how we approach treatments. For a long time, much of the research and many of the medications for mental health were designed based on studies mostly involving men.

By identifying the genetic factors unique to women, doctors can work toward developing more targeted and personalized treatments. Given that depression affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide, understanding these biological differences is a crucial step toward providing better, more effective care for all.

Pleasanteeism, the pressure to appear cheerful and upbeat at work no matter what one is feeling inside, has become a growing concern in many workplaces. This constant expectation to keep a positive front often pushes employees to hide their real emotions, which can lead to mental fatigue, anxiety, and eventually burnout. Though not a new idea, the term ‘pleasanteeism’ has resurfaced as office workers once again discuss buzzwords like ‘quiet quitting,’ ‘coffee badging,’ and ‘office peacocking.’

What Is Pleasanteeism And How Is It Impacting Mental Health At Work?

According to Dr Chandni Tugnait, MD (A.M), Psychotherapist, Life Alchemist, Coach & Healer, and Founder & Director of Gateway of Healing, this problem has only worsened with the rise of hybrid work models. The need to look lively during video calls and the fading line between personal and professional life make it harder for employees to recover emotionally.

She explains to us that activities such as “forced fun” sessions or public praise for being positive can unintentionally discourage honesty and openness. “To address pleasanteeism, companies must create a space that values honesty and supports mental wellness,” says Dr Chandni.

A recent report by Lime also points to how pleasanteeism is hurting both mental health and workplace performance. This culture of putting on a “brave face” prevents people from having honest discussions about their struggles, keeping important mental health conversations out of reach.

Some of the key findings from the report include:

• 40% of employees say they feel less emotionally strong now than before the pandemic.
• 26% admit they find it difficult to manage work demands.
• 51% feel they must act cheerful around colleagues even when they are not.
• 44% believe their low emotional resilience affects how well they perform at work.

These figures highlight how important it is for organisations to build environments that encourage openness and emotional safety, which can benefit both well-being and productivity.

How Does Pleasanteeism Affect Mental Health In The Short And Long Term?

Short-term Effects

In the short term, pretending to be happy all the time can quickly drain one’s emotional energy, leading to emotional exhaustion. This leaves people feeling mentally tired and disconnected from their personal lives. Constantly trying to regulate expressions can also heighten anxiety, as employees become anxious about revealing how they truly feel. Over time, this stress often appears in physical forms, causing headaches, muscle tightness, and disturbed sleep, all of which further affect mental health.

Long-term Effects

Over a longer period, the effects deepen. Persistent emotional suppression can create an identity disconnect, where individuals lose sight of their real feelings and struggle to understand themselves. It can also cause chronic burnout, as constantly putting on a cheerful mask drains psychological energy, leading to detachment and low productivity. Relationships may begin to suffer too, since hiding emotions weakens genuine connections, leaving people feeling isolated and unsupported.

Professionally, pleasanteeism can contribute to career stagnation, as the effort spent maintaining appearances takes away from learning or growing in one’s field. Finally, it may lead to unhealthy coping habits, such as overeating or turning to alcohol to manage stress, which further worsens mental well-being.

Alzheimer’s disease is no longer a distant concern for India. The Dementia India Report projects that the number of people living with dementia will rise from 8.8 million in 2019 to nearly 14 million by 2036. Alzheimer’s, which accounts for 60–70% of these cases, represents the single largest contributor. This sharp increase is driven by longer life expectancy, urbanization, and lifestyle-related risk factors. For clinicians, the challenge is not only in managing the disease, but also in addressing the widespread confusion between what is described as “mild memory loss” and what is in fact the onset of Alzheimer’s.

Normal Ageing vs. Alzheimer’s Onset: What's The Difference?

Mild forgetfulness is common in ageing. Occasional lapses such as misplacing objects or briefly struggling to recall names are typically recognized by the individual and do not affect independence. In medical terms, this is often classified as age-associated memory impairment. It does not progress in a predictable manner, nor does it consistently interfere with daily living.

Also Read: Kevin Jonas’ Wife Danielle Shares The Hidden Sign That Led To Her Lyme Disease Diagnosis

Alzheimer’s, by contrast, is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder. The initial manifestations may also involve forgetfulness, but the difference lies in persistence, pattern, and impact. Patients begin to forget recent events repeatedly, lose their way in familiar settings, and struggle with language and judgment. Over time, the ability to manage personal, financial, and social responsibilities declines. Unlike benign memory lapses, these deficits are noticed more by caregivers than by the individual, and they steadily worsen.

Why Is It Difficult To Diagnose Mild Cognitive Impairment

The diagnostic overlap is further complicated by the intermediate state of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Epidemiological studies indicate that 10–15% of individuals with MCI convert to Alzheimer’s annually. Yet not all do some remain stable, and a minority even improve. This uncertainty often leads to misdiagnosis in both directions: dismissing early Alzheimer’s as “normal ageing,” or labelling harmless forgetfulness as dementia. Both outcomes are problematic, the former delaying intervention and the latter generating unnecessary stigma.

Accurate differentiation requires structured evaluation. Clinical history, neurological examination, cognitive testing, and, where appropriate, neuroimaging or biomarker analysis form the basis of assessment. The aim is early identification, because therapeutic benefit is greater when intervention begins before significant decline has occurred.

Also Read: RFK Jr. Claims Tylenol After Circumcision May Be Linked to Autism

What Is The Best Way To Treat Cognitive Decline?

Preventive strategies must be emphasized in parallel. Cohort studies from India and abroad show that up to 40% of dementia risk can be attributed to modifiable factors. Hypertension, diabetes, obesity, smoking, physical inactivity, social isolation, and hearing loss are prominent among them. Addressing these through regular medical care, physical exercise, mental stimulation, and social engagement can reduce incidence and delay onset. Public health efforts in India must therefore move beyond treatment to encompass risk reduction at a community level.

As Alzheimer’s Awareness Month reminds us, memory complaints in older adults are not uniform. Some reflect the natural ageing of the brain; others signal a disease process that will progressively erode autonomy and quality of life. For physicians, families, and policymakers alike, the responsibility lies in recognizing the difference. Precision in diagnosis, combined with preventive care, remains our best opportunity to mitigate the growing impact of Alzheimer’s disease in India.

Danielle Jonas, wife of Kevin Jonas, opened up about her Lyme disease diagnosis in an interview with Parents, after experiencing an unexpected symptom. Part of the band Jonas Brothers, one of the most famous American pop rock bands formed in the early 2000s, Kevin Jonas along with this wife Daniella was talking about their family life when this topic was brought about.

Unexpected Symptom of Lyme Disease

In the interview, Danielle opened up about experiencing extreme hair loss and intense scalp eczema. She stated that after noticing excessive hair shedding, she sought medical attention. "They tried to tell me it was anxiety. Finally, I had a biopsy that showed I actually had Lyme disease," she explained. A biopsy ultimately confirmed the Lyme disease diagnosis.

Also Read: World Mental Health Day 2025: Mild Memory Loss or Alzheimer’s? A Deeper Look at Both Conditions

The resulting inflammation from the disease also led to a severe case of eczema on her scalp. The hair loss was "very traumatic," leading her to consider wearing a wig. While trying to maintain a normal public life alongside Kevin, she opted for hair extensions, but the extensions aggravated her scalp eczema even further due to the pulling.

Can Lyme Disease Cause Hair Loss?

The exact link between hair loss and Lyme disease is not entirely understood. However, case studies have shown that it, along with inflammation, has been noted in Lyme disease patients.

A 2021 case report published in the Biomedical Journal of Science & Technical Research presented the case of a 40-year-old woman came to the clinic because she had a crusty sore on the back of her scalp that was stuck to the skin. It had been there for about 10 days. Initially, doctors thought it might be a severe inflammatory scalp condition like early erosive pustular dermatosis of the scalp, or EPDS or a bacterial skin infection.

However, the patient also showed the doctor a photo of a tick attached to her scalp right where the sore was.

Because of this tick bite history and her symptoms, doctors suspected a rickettsia infection which is another type of tick-borne illness. However, they couldn't rule out Lyme disease, which is also spread by ticks. She was immediately given an antibiotic called Doxycycline and her symptoms quickly improved. The dead skin patch was treated with a special iodine gauze and healed well.

Three weeks after starting the antibiotics, blood tests confirmed she had Lyme disease caused by the Borrelia bacteria. She had very high levels of antibodies (IgG and IgM) against it. Tests for Rickettsia infection, their initial suspicion, were negative.

This case highlights how important it is for doctors to get a detailed history, including any recent tick exposure, to properly diagnose and treat a tick-borne illness like Lyme disease right away. Because Doxycycline treats both Lyme and Rickettsia infections, starting the medication quickly was the right choice.

Other Symptoms of Lyme Disease

Another 2024 study published in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology describes an adult woman who started losing hair two months after getting several tick bites. The hair loss specifically happened where one of the ticks had bitten her scalp. Interestingly, she didn't have the usual flu-like symptoms often associated with Lyme disease.

Researchers believe that Lyme disease may cause temporary hair loss because of an autoimmune-like reaction, where the body mistakenly attacks its own hair follicles. Additionally, the physical tick bite itself can directly damage the hair follicles, leading to a condition called tick-bite alopecia. To ensure you get treatment as early as possible, one must know what symptoms of Lyme disease look like. Lyme disease symptoms can appear in different stages. You might even develop them without realizing you were bitten by a tick. Early symptoms are as follows,

• Fever and chills
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Muscle and joint aches
• Swollen lymph nodes like in your neck or armpits