Women's Mental Health Epidemiology – Donghao Lu Lab

The group aims to study women’s mental health over the life course and to bridge the gap between Obstetrics/Gynecology and Psychiatry. Leveraging international large-scale population-based cohorts, we want to understand the underlying biological mechanisms affecting women’s mental health and potential health consequences. The current main research topics are: 1) Risk factors, comorbidities, and health consequences of reproductive mood disorders 2) Sex disparity in mental health

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Publications

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Funding

Grants

  • Develop a comprehensive roadmap to address premature deaths shadowing reproductive mood disorders
    Karolinska Institutet KID
    1 January 2024 - 31 December 2027
  • Swedish Research Council for Health Working Life and Welfare
    1 January 2024 - 31 December 2026
    Research problem and specific questionsSex/gender differences in mental health among adolescents and young adults (AYAs) are well documented. Yet, the driving forces are poorly understood. Premenstrual disorders (PMDs) are common yet under-investigated mental/behavioral conditions emerging during adolescence, with a significant psychosocial impact on young women. Our recent work based on cross-sectional data revealed that the higher prevalence rates of depression and anxiety in adolescent girls than boys did not emerge until menarche and were almost fully attributable to PMDs. However, prospective data are urgently needed to demonstrate the causal relations between PMDs and mental ill-health in young women, and subsequently the contribution to the sex disparities in AYAs mental health.Data and methodsLeveraging the nationwide Swedish register data and two large prospective cohorts (the LifeGene and CATSS), this proposal aims to develop a strategy roadmap for future interventions reducing mental health sex/gender disparities among AYAs through novel prevention programs for PMDs. Specifically, we aim to: 1) assess the association of PMDs and subsequent risks of depression and anxiety using population and sibling analyses
    2) quantify the mediating role of PMDs in the sex differences in mental health and suicidal behavior using mediation analysis
    and 3) determine modifiable childhood causal risk factors for PMDs using Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.Plan for project realizationThe research team consists of multidisciplinary experts from epidemiology, OB/GYN, psychology/psychiatry, and genetics from Iceland, Sweden, and the US. The applicant has extensive experience in conducting cutting-edge studies on women´s mental health, particularly among AYAs, using registers and large population-based cohorts with advanced methods integrating omics data. One full-time PhD student and 70% of a postdoc will be financed to implement the projects over 3 years under the applicant´s supervision. RelevanceMental ill-health is the leading cause of disease burden among AYAs in Sweden and the sex/gender disparity is alarmingly concerning. However, very limited progress has been implemented so far. Through this program, we will fill an important knowledge gap in the contribution of PMDs to the sex/gender disparities in AYAs mental health, and provide innovative guidelines for future interventions targeted to reduce such disparities.
  • Prenatal antidepressant treatment: from maternal serum signature to fetal brain response to ADHD risk and resilience
    Karolinska Institutet Research Incubator Fellow Postdoc Project Grants with an Interdisciplinary Focus
    1 January 2024 - 31 December 2026
  • Reproductive mood disorders: a neglected determinant of sex/gender disparities in health
    Karolinska Institutet Strategic Research Area in Epidemiology and Biostatistics
    1 October 2023 - 31 December 2026
  • Swedish Research Council
    1 January 2021 - 31 December 2024
  • Swedish Research Council for Health Working Life and Welfare
    1 January 2021 - 31 December 2024

Staff and contact

Group leader

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Other people connected to the group

  • Yang, Qian

Visiting address

Karolinska Institutet, IMM, Nobels väg 13, Stockholm, 17177, Sweden

Postal address

Karolinska Institutet, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nobels väg 13, Stockholm, 17177, Sweden

Keywords:
Cancer and Oncology Depression, Postpartum Epidemiology Epidemiology Gynaecology, Obstetrics and Reproductive Medicine Show all
Anna Persson
04-09-2025