Personality trait shares genetic link with depression: Study
London, Dec 23 (IBNS): People affected by depression may have genes associated with anxiety, worry and low mood, a study suggests.
Scientists analysed the DNA of over 300,000 people and found many genes linked to neuroticism – characterised by feelings of anxiety, worry and guilt. The genes are also linked to depression.
The findings help shed light on the causes of depression – which affects one in five people – and could provide information to help better diagnosis and treatment for individuals, scientists say.Researchers analysed genetic information from a group of people aged from 39 to 73, whose levels of neuroticism had been measured by a personality questionnaire.
DNA analysis combined with the personality data uncovered 116 gene variations linked to neuroticism.
Researchers from the University found that genes associated with neuroticism had some overlap with genes linked to a susceptibility to depression and some other psychiatric conditions.
More than half of the genetic variations associated with neuroticism are expressed in the brain.
The study is published in the journal Nature Genetics.
The study used data in the UK Biobank, a major genetic study into the role of nature and nurture in health and disease.
The Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology receives funding from the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.
UK Biobank was established by the Wellcome Trust, MRC, Department of Health, Scottish Government and the Northwest Regional Development Agency. It has had funding from the Welsh Assembly Government, British Heart Foundation and Diabetes UK. UK Biobank is hosted by the University of Manchester and supported by the NHS.
Image: Wikimedia Commons
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