36 genes that significantly increase the incidence of chronic tic disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder have been found by researchers; this finding may result in novel treatments.
While chronic tic disorders, such as Tourette syndrome, are characterized by uncontrollably abrupt, repetitive movements or vocalizations, OCD is characterized by persistent intrusive thoughts and repetitive actions.
“There were few opportunities for the pharmaceutical industry to develop drugs in the past because we knew about a couple of strong genes,” coauthor Jay Tischfield, an emeritus distinguished professor at Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences in New Jersey, said in a statement.
“You now have more than 30 targets, which opens up new possibilities for treatment development.”
The study, which was published on Tuesday in Nature Neuroscience, examined DNA from around 4,000 individuals who had been diagnosed with these disorders.
OCD and persistent tic disorders share several of the recently discovered genes. The researchers discovered that many of the same brain pathways seem to be involved in the illnesses at the biological level.
According to Tischfield, “these genes don’t act individually.” “They operate within networks. Additionally, you may now target entire networks, which will facilitate the development of novel treatments.
Additionally, the researchers discovered that a number of the identified genes had previously been connected to schizophrenia and autism, supporting mounting evidence that disturbances in brain development and communication may be the cause of various psychiatric disorders.
Neurotransmitters are chemical signals that are used by brain cells to transfer messages from one nerve cell to another. The way those impulses go through the brain’s circuitry appears to be influenced by the genes found in the study.
According to the researchers, the discoveries could help develop medications that target the fundamental causes rather than just treating symptoms by illuminating the biological systems underlying the illnesses.
