Research Uncovers Shared Genetic Roots for OCD, Tourette Syndrome, and Autism, Paving Way for New Treatments
A large team of geneticists and neuroscientists, led by researchers at Rutgers University, has conducted a detailed genetic analysis revealing shared genetic roots among obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), chronic tic disorders (CTDs) like Tourette syndrome, and autism. Published in Nature Neuroscience, the study analyzed exome data from nearly 4,000 individuals with OCD, CTD, or both, significantly expanding previous sample sizes. The research identified 36 genes that substantially increase the risk of developing one or both of these disorders, a tenfold increase from the previously known four 'high-confidence' genes. These conditions frequently co-occur, with 50% of individuals with CTDs also exhibiting obsessive-compulsive behaviors and up to 30% of OCD patients having a history of tics. By comparing human, rhesus macaque, and mouse brain maps, the researchers outlined a neural blueprint for these conditions, pinpointing dysfunction in the cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical circuit, which governs cogniti... 
