iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-
Researchers have identified genetic factors that influence how individuals respond to their environments, helping to explain the development of symptoms related to ADHD, autism, anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions.
The international study, led by King’s College London in the United Kingdom, is the largest genome-wide association study of identical twins conducted to date.
The research involved data from 21,792 identical twins, or 10,896 pairs, across 11 studies in collaboration with 23 universities worldwide.
The team examined how genetic differences affect individuals’ sensitivity to environmental influences and how this sensitivity may contribute to the development of psychiatric and neurodevelopmental traits.
By focusing on identical twins, who share the same genetic makeup, the researchers were able to identify specific genetic variants linked to environmental sensitivity.
These variants help explain why some individuals are more affected by their surroundings than others, even when exposed to the same conditions. The study found that genetic sensitivity to environmental factors is associated with differences in levels of ADHD symptoms, autistic traits, anxiety, depression, psychotic experiences, and neuroticism.
Several of the genetic variants identified were linked to biological systems involved in brain development, immune response, and stress regulation. For example, genes associated with growth factors were connected to variation in autistic traits.
Genes related to stress reactivity were linked to differences in depression symptoms. In addition, genes involved in the regulation of catecholamines—a group of hormones that help manage the body’s response to stress—were tied to differences in psychotic-like experiences.
The findings, published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour, show that genetic makeup plays a role in shaping how environmental experiences influence mental health. The researchers concluded that these genetic factors help determine why the same life events can affect people differently, depending on their individual sensitivity.
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