We found the same pattern of results when we used loci identified from a minimal phenotyping strategy in an independent study by 23andMe that used a minimal phenotyping definition4. Of the 17 loci, 10 replicated in GPpsy (at P < 0.05, after multiple testing correction for 17 loci) and 3 replicated in LifetimeMDD. All significant SNPs had the same directions of effect on neuroticism, smoking and schizophrenia (Extended Data Fig. 5 and Supplementary Table 20) and are therefore not specific to MDD, consistent with our analysis of minimal phenotyping definitions in the UK Biobank. In summary, GWAS of minimal phenotyping definitions of depression primarily enables the discovery of pathways that are shared with other conditions. It is not currently possible to assess the specificity of GWAS loci from strictly defined MDD in the same way, given that the sample size for strictly defined MDD remains relatively small and GWAS hits relatively few.
