Genetic risk for mood disorders linked to sleep and daily rhythm patterns in bipolar disorder

In a sample of 62 euthymic individuals with bipolar disorder, a higher polygenic risk score for major depressive disorder was associated with more fragmented sleep.

• Individuals with a higher polygenic risk score for major depressive disorder exhibited disrupted sleep patterns.
• A higher polygenic risk score for bipolar disorder correlated with a later peak in circadian rhythms of activity.
• These associations were significant even after adjusting for various factors such as age, sex, and current medications.
• Results were not significant after applying corrections for multiple comparisons.
• The findings suggest that genetic vulnerabilities to major depression and bipolar disorder may relate to distinct sleep and circadian rhythm abnormalities.

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