DNA is a special molecule that holds instructions for all living things. It is made up of long strings. Sometimes, short pieces of the DNA string are repeated many times in a row. These are known as "repeats". Everyone has these repeats, but the number of repeats is different for each person. Sometimes, these repeats may play a role in whether a person has a mental health condition such as depression, anxiety, or an eating disorder.
Current scientific tools are not good at finding the differences in people’s DNA and so we cannot see the DNA repeats very clearly. We do not know what they are doing or how they may be able to tell us about why some people get mental health problems and others don’t. We will develop new computer tools to help us to see these DNA repeats more clearly. We will test these tools using genetic data from large groups of people, including people who have shared mental health information with NIHR BioResource through the Genetic Links to Anxiety and Depression Study and the UK Eating Disorders Genetics Initiative.
By looking at the repeat patterns and health records, we hope to find out if certain DNA repeats can increase the chance of people having mental health conditions. We may also see which ones can help to prevent them. These new discoveries could uncover new information and support better care. The long-term goal is to make sure these types of DNA repeats are recognised in mental health genetics.
