The Influence Of Genetics On The Development Of Anxiety
Research in the field of genetics has advanced a lot in recent times.
While our knowledge of genetics and how it works can still be greatly improved, the knowledge it provides has allowed for great advances. Science has allowed progress in the treatment of different diseases and disorders by locating the elements of DNA that cause or facilitate them and allowing the creation of more appropriate medications and treatments to cure or alleviate their effects, or to avoid transmitting them to offspring.
An example of this is the treatment of various genetic disorders and the prevention of diseases with a high probability of occurrence (such as some cases of breast cancer). However, genetics does not allow an exact prediction of the occurrence of phenomena, the expression of genes being affected by the life history of people. In the case of some disorders such as mental disorders, the exploration of the genome still has a long way to go, and there is still no exact knowledge of which genes predispose to suffering from them, but it is known that in some cases there is a predisposition due to genetic influence. This is the case of anxiety disorders.
The concept of anxiety refers to a diffuse emotional state similar to fear, in which the advent of a future threat is expected. This fear is disproportionate, irrational and induces avoidance or desire to avoid feared or similar situations.
Various disorders are included within the category of anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder, phobias, and panic disorder with or without agoraphobia. In the past, obsessive-compulsive disorder was also considered part of this category because subjects with this disorder present a very high level of anxiety and their symptoms are derived from a particular management of it, although its differential characteristics mean that it has been separated. of this group in the latest version of the American classification of mental disorders par excellence (DSM-V).
Anxiety disorders are the most common type of mental disorder both in the clinical population and in the non-clinical population. The presence of vital traumas in early childhood is a risk factor for their condition. In addition, A certain genetic predisposition has been found in some subjects to suffer from ita predisposition that has contributed to promoting research into genes that can explain this relationship.
Seven genes recently linked to anxiety
Recent research has attempted to find a link between some genes and the existence of anxiety disorders or anxiety-related symptoms.
In this sense, it must be taken into account that although we talk about specific genes, the presence or absence of genetic predisposition does not depend on a single gene, but is considered to be polygenic. That is to say, A gene does not mark a characteristic by itself, but rather it depends on the joint action of various genes. and how they are configured in the set of chromosomes.
1. Mmp9 (Matrix metallopeptidase 9) gene
In this gene, four different haplotypes or mutations and combinations of specific alleles have been analyzed and a link with anxiety has been found. According to previous studies, this gene is involved in coronary disorders and cancer, which correlates positively when it comes to both suffering from anxiety as a predisposing element to suffer from it as a result of knowing the disease.
Only one haplotype of this gene, AGAT, has a good high association with predisposition to anxiety disorders.. This gene contributes to cellular maintenance, allowing the modification of the synaptic space between neurons through the secretion of neurotrophins. It has also been associated with brain plasticity. It has been related to the neurotransmitter serotonin, it also affects the proliferation of neurons.
3. Ntf4 Gene (Neurotrophin 4)
This gene is involved in the modulation of the synaptic space. It is essential for the survival and maintenance of neurons, being essential especially for those in the striatum. More research is needed regarding its involvement in anxiety disorders, but studies seem to indicate that it is involved in vulnerability to these disordersespecially if it occurs in conjunction with the previous
4. Egr2 and Egr4 genes (Early-Growtg Response 2 & 4)
These genes are involved in synaptic plasticity, especially in learning and memory. They also participate in bone formation of the skull and myelination of the peripheral nervous system.
5. Gene Grm2 (Glutamate receptor 2)
This gene participates, as you can imagine from its name, in the reception and metabolism of glutamate.the major exciter of the central nervous system. This link with glutamate makes this gene an element closely linked to anxiety disorders and even schizophrenia. In addition to anxiety disorders, it is linked to learning.
This gene is known and studied for its link with neuronal plasticity and the genesis of proteins that allow it.. Participates and acts on NMDA receptors.
The discovery of these genes and their relationship with mental disorders related to anxiety represents a milestone of great importance when it comes to contributing to the study and treatment of anxiety disorders. However, it must be taken into account that the presence of certain genetic configurations only implies an innate predisposition to express the phenotypes to characteristics to which they predispose.
Considering that having these genes means suffering from an anxiety disorder would result in a fallacysince it can make us forget the shaping influence of the environment and education, elements that can awaken or ignore the biological predisposition. And anxiety disorders, like the rest of psychological disorders in general, have a plural and biopsychosocial etiology.
We must try not to fall into reductionism and consider the effect of all the variables that may have an implication in disorders, both anxiety and other types.
Bibliographic references:
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Swanson, C.J.; Bures, M.; Johnson, M.P.; Linden, A.M.; Monn, J. A. & Schoepp, D. D. (2005). Metabotropic glutamate receptors as novel targets for anxiety and stress disorders. Nat. Rev. Drug Discov. 4:131–144
Topilko, P.; Schneider-Maunoury, S.; Levi, G.; Baron-Van Evercooren, A.; Chennoufi, BBY;Seitanidou, T.; Babinet, C. & Charnay, P. (1994). Krox-20 controls myelination in the peripheral nervous system.
Wade, N. (2014). The identification of novel susceptibility genes involved in anxiety disorders. Stellenbosch University
