Scientists Uncover Shared Genetic Roots of OCD, Tourette Syndrome, And Autism

The prenatal to postnatal development of our brains involves a complex cascade of chemicals, branching brain-signaling pathways, and unfolding neural cells – the evolution of a universe in microcosm. This incredibly intricate development can lead to potentially debilitating conditions like obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and chronic tic disorders (CTDs), such as Tourette disorder (TD), which affect up to 2 percent of the population.  Yet relatively little has been known about the underlying biological pathologies of these highly heritable disorders: a measly four "high-confidence" genes. That number has just jumped significantly, as researchers have presented a uniquely detailed genetic analysis of OCD and CTD etiology, identifying 36 genes that substantially increase the risk of developing one or both of these disorders. This research "dramatically expands the catalog of shared risk genes, reveals biological connections with autism and schizophrenia and highlights the brain circuits that govern impulse control, movement, and habit formation," explains Gary Heiman, a genetic epidemiologist at Rutgers University in New Jersey and one of the study's senior co-authors.