A study by the University of Barcelona has identified nearly 20 genes that could contribute to some people being more susceptible to depression, anxiety and traits such as irritability and neuroticism. These genes are regulated by the RBFOX1 gene, which acts as the central hub of a genetic network linked to several key processes in brain function. According to the researchers, this genetic overlap between different disorders and traits could help explain why they often appear together in the same person.

“These results provide a new insight into the biological mechanisms shared by depression and various associated disorders, and could contribute in the future to the development of more personalized biomarkers and treatments,” explain the researchers who coordinated the study, Bru Cormand and Noèlia Fernández, from the Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics at the Faculty of Biology and the Institute of Biomedicine of the UB (IBUB), the Sant Joan de Déu Research Institute (IRSJD) and the CIBER Area for Rare Diseases (CIBERER).

The study, published in the journal Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, also involved researchers from Goethe University Frankfurt (Germany).