Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42640306›Full record

Trial reportEuropean archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience2026

Exploring sex differences in endocannabinoid system biomarkers and their relationship with antidepressant treatment outcomes in major depressive disorder: a CAN-BIND 1 secondary analysis.

Maryam Sorkhou, Helena K Kim, Faranak Farzan, Jane A Foster, Benicio N Frey, Muhammad I Husain, Sidney H Kennedy, Raymond W Lam, Roumen Milev, Benoit H Mulsant and 6 more

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors.

Maryam SorkhouInstitute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4695-9586
Helena K KimDepartment of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
Faranak FarzaneBrain Lab, School of Mechatronic Systems Engineering, Simon Fraser University, Surrey, Canada.
Jane A FosterDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.
Benicio N FreyDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.
Muhammad I HusainInstitute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
Sidney H KennedyDepartment of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
Raymond W LamDepartment of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Roumen MilevDepartment of Psychiatry, Queen's University School of Medicine, Kingston, Canada.
Benoit H MulsantInstitute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
Daniel J MüllerDepartment of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
Lena C QuiltyDepartment of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
Claudio N SoaresDepartment of Psychiatry, Queen's University School of Medicine, Kingston, Canada.
Valerie H TaylorDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.
Gustavo TureckiDouglas Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
Stefan KloiberInstitute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. stefan.kloiber@camh.ca.

Funding

Ontario Brain Institute Ontario Brain Institute
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSex differences in major depressive disorder (MDD) are well documented, but it remains unclear whether sex-related variation in peripheral endocannabinoid system (ECS)-related biomarkers is detectable in MDD.

objectivesTo examine baseline sex differences in ECS-related mRNA expression, DNA methylation, and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in MDD, and associations between baseline ECS markers and antidepressant outcomes in sex-stratified analyses.

methodsAmong 178 participants with MDD from CAN-BIND-1, all received escitalopram for 8 weeks; non-responders then received adjunctive aripiprazole from Weeks 8-16.Response was defined as ≥ 50% reduction in MADRS score, and remission as MADRS ≤ 10. ANCOVAs examined baseline sex differences and sex-stratified biomarker associations with percent MADRS reduction at Weeks 8 and 16, as well as categorical response and remission outcomes. Covariates included site, baseline MADRS, age, and ethnicity. False discovery rate correction was applied.

resultsBaseline sex differences in methylation were observed for CACNA1H, GABRB2, MAGL, and GABRR2, though none survived correction. No baseline sex differences in mRNA expression or SNPs were detected after correction. Lower baseline DAGLA mRNA in males was associated with greater Week 8 symptom improvement (FDR corrected). This association was not observed in females. No associations with response or remission at Weeks 8 or 16 survived correction. IMPLICATIONS: Baseline sex differences in peripheral ECS-related markers were not detected in this sample. Larger studies are needed to verify whether ECS-related biomarkers, particularly DAGLA, contribute to antidepressant outcomes in a sex-specific manner.

Indexed as

Antidepressive AgentsEndocannabinoidsEscitalopramMajor Depressive DisorderOutcome Assessment, Health CareSex CharacteristicsAdultBiomarkersDNA MethylationFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPolymorphism, Single NucleotideRNA, MessengerTreatment Effect HeterogeneityAntidepressive AgentsBiomarkersEndocannabinoidsEscitalopramRNA, MessengerBiomarkersEndocannabinoid systemMajor depressive disorderMethylation expressionmRNA expressionSex differences

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.