Researchers identify female-specific and male-specific genetic risks for anxiety
A massive genetic analysis reveals that while men and women share much of the underlying risk for anxiety, they also possess distinct genetic pathways. These biological differences may explain why anxiety symptoms and prevalence differ by sex.
Researchers have identified distinct genetic pathways specific to each sex that contribute to anxiety, helping explain why males and females often experience and report anxiety in different ways. The study, published in Psychological Medicine, analyzed genetic and health data from 455,487 individuals of European ancestry using the UK Biobank and the All of Us research programs.
Lead authors Jihua Hu and Brittany L. Mitchell found that while men and women share many genetic risk factors for anxiety, there are significant differences between the sexes. In females, the researchers identified 21 genetic variants associated with anxiety, compared to just five in males. Only one genetic variant overlapped between the two groups.
The study also revealed that males exhibit a higher overall threshold for developing anxiety, indicating that men generally require a greater accumulation of genetic vulnerability and environmental factors to develop clinical anxiety. The findings highlight the importance of considering biological sex when studying the genetic roots of mental health conditions, as different genetic pathways may be at play in males and females.
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