1. ¹Department of Medicine, University of Dresden, Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden, Germany
2. ²Center for Pharmacogenomics and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA

Correspondence: Professor SR Bornstein, Department of Medicine, University of Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany. E-mail: Stefan.Bornstein@uniklinikum-dresden.de; Professor J Licinio, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1695 NW 9th Avenue, Suite 3101, Miami, FL 33136, USA. E-mail: licinio@miami.edu

Received 26 June 2006; Accepted 27 June 2006; Published online 1 August 2006.

Abstract

Obesity and depression are serious public health problems and also constitute cardiovascular disease risk factors. Research organizations have called for efforts to explore the interrelationship between obesity and depression. A useful starting point is the fact that in both disorders there is dysregulation of stress systems. We review molecular and clinical evidence indicating that the mediators of the stress response are a key locus for gene–environment interactions in the shared biology of depression and obesity. Scientific milestones include translational paradigms such as mice knockouts, imaging and pharmacogenomic approaches that can identify new therapeutic strategies for those burdened by these two afflictions of contemporary civilization. Perspectives for the future are promising. Our ability to dissect the underpinnings of common and complex diseases with shared substrates will be greatly enhanced by the Genes and Environment Initiative, the emerging Large Scale Studies of Genes and Environment in Common Disease, and the UK Biobank Project.