Study Identifies 74 Genome Locations Tied to Anxiety Symptoms
Researchers have pinpointed 74 locations in the human genome where genetic differences are associated with anxiety symptoms, with 39 of these being newly linked to anxiety. This represents the largest number of anxiety-related genetic associations ever identified in a single study.
The genome-wide association study (GWAS), led by scientists at King’s College London and QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Australia, analyzed genetic data from 693,869 individuals of European ancestry. The findings were published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour.
How the Study Measured Anxiety
Instead of using a binary clinical diagnosis of anxiety disorder, the researchers linked genetic data to the severity of anxiety symptoms. This approach provides a more nuanced understanding of the biological continuum that ranges from healthy stress responses to debilitating anxiety disorders.
First author Megan Skelton, a research fellow at King’s College London, stated: “This is an exciting step forward in understanding how anxiety risk can be influenced by biological processes. It’s important to highlight that genetics interplay with life experiences, social contexts, and psychological factors to shape individual risk.”
Genetic Risk Does Not Guarantee Anxiety
Skelton emphasized that having a high genetic risk does not necessarily mean a person will develop anxiety, and conversely, those with low genetic risk may still experience anxiety. “The rise in anxiety rates points to environmental factors, as genetics don’t change much across generations, so reducing anxiety in the population will require these factors to be addressed,” she said.
Understanding genetic risk can help identify individuals who are more sensitive to environmental influences, potentially leading to more effective prevention and treatment strategies.
Key Genes and Biological Pathways
The study provided support for the role of specific genes in anxiety, including PCLO and SORCS3. Many of the implicated genes are particularly active in brain tissue and are involved in how nerve cells communicate with each other.
The researchers found that common genetic variation explains approximately 6% of the differences in anxiety symptom severity between individuals. This leaves substantial room for environmental influences, gene-environment interactions, and undetected genetic effects.
Implications for Mental Health Research
Lead author Thalia Eley, professor of developmental behavioural genetics at King’s College London, noted: “Despite the public health impact of anxiety, progress in the understanding of its genetics lags behind other major mental health conditions.”
“Given the high and rising rates of anxiety, especially in young adults, it is more important than ever to improve our ability to identify and understand sources of risk,” Eley added. “We hope our findings encourage a new wave of large-scale analyses to accelerate our progress in understanding the genetic architecture of anxiety.”
Genetic Overlap with Other Conditions
The study also identified a broad range of significant genetic correlations between anxiety and both mental and physical health conditions, including depression, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic pain, coronary artery disease, endometriosis, and migraine.
