What Role Does Genetics Have on Mental Health?

Introduction:

Mental health is a relevant topic for all individuals- whether young or old, it is normal to experience mental health struggles at some point in your life. While much is still being discovered about it, studies have shown that genetics plays a big role in influencing an individual’s susceptibility to certain disorders and how we react to certain situations. 

Genetics Influence Brain Function:

Genetics influences brain function through various factors, such as affecting brain development, the production of neurotransmitters  (such as serotonin and dopamine),the  regulation of stress responses, and epigenetics.  Genes provide a sort of blueprint for the brain; if there is a certain variation in them, it can lead to differences in brain structure (such as total cortical surface area) as well as susceptibility to conditions like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and ADHD. It can also affect neuroplasticity; something crucial for mood regulation, learning, and memory. 

Genetics' Influence on Reactions:

Have you ever thought about how you react to certain situations the same way your parents would? Well, another important way our parents genetics influence us and our mental health is through shaping our temperament, emotional sensitivity, and stress response systems.  The NIH explains “Specific genetic polymorphisms affect how an individual appraises and responds to stress, potentially mediating the impact of stress on health. These genetic vulnerabilities can influence responses to the external environment, shape motivated behavior, and have an impact on health throughout life.”

Neurotransmitters have an effect on things like mood regulation, impulsivity, and anxiety. Genes determine a multitude of characteristics, and certain genetic variations can alter how the body produces neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. Genetic Basis of Emotional Regulation: Integrative Analysis of Behavioral and Neurobiological Data explains,”Genetic factors play a significant role in determining individual differences in emotional regulation. Studies have identified genetic variations that affect neurotransmitter systems involved in emotion regulation, including serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin pathways [8].”

Additionally, our genes are what help determine the sensitivity of our hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA). This is something that helps us regulate stress, and variations in genes (such as FKBP5) may significantly alter the efficiency of cortisol receptors. For example, whenever a person encounters a stressful situation, the HPA axis is activated. Once this happens, cortisol is released, which helps the body manage the stressor. Individuals with variants in their genes, however, could potentially face either an over or under response to stress. 

Furthermore, genetic variations may affect certain parts of our brains, like the amygdala and prefrontal cortex. This is especially important as these regions are crucial to regulating emotions, and variations in these regions may affect our neurotransmitter systems, hormonal systems, and neurodevelopmental pathways; therefore influencing traits such as impulsivity, sociability, and risk tolerance. Consequently, specific genes are linked to differences in emotionality, including sensitivity to threat or fear, and can go on to affect multiple other systems within the body. 

Finally, genetics play a key role in the environments we both select and create for ourselves. This is particularly imminent in early childhood, as we absorb behaviors and scenes around us- going on to affect our lives well into adulthood. Patterns that we see in childhood establish patterns in what we are comfortable with, and how we act. 

What Limitations Do These Studies Have?

Much of our known facts about the role genetics plays in mental health are limited by several factors, including but not limited to: sample size, polygenetic nature of disorders, gene-environment interaction, epigenetics (how genes are expressed), ethical and social implications, and more. 

Conclusion

While things such as genetics play a certain role in determining the mental health of an individual, an important distinction must be made: it is not solely genetics that determines how this affects our lives, but our actions. 

References:

• Buchanan, T. W., & Lovallo, W. R. (2019). The role of genetics in stress effects on health and addiction. Current Opinion in Psychology, 27, 72–76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2018.09.005 

• Goriounova, N. A., & Mansvelder, H. D. (2019). Genes, Cells, and Brain Areas of Intelligence. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 13(44). https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2019.00044 

• Genetics - Nature and Nurture: A Dynamic Interplay. (2024, April 22). Dana Foundation. https://dana.org/resources/genetics/ 

• Liu, S., Smit, D. J. A., Abdellaoui, A., van Wingen, G. A., & Verweij, K. J. H. (2022). Brain structure and function show distinct relations with genetic predispositions to mental health and cognition. Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, 8(3). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpsc.2022.08.003 

• Zhylin, M., Mendelo, V., Bondarevych, S., Kokorina, Y., & Tatianchykov, A. (2024). Genetic Basis of Emotional Regulation: Integrative Analysis of Behavioral and Neurobiological Data. OBM Neurobiology, 08(04), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2404256