Genetic connection between OCD and Tourette syndrome

According to Live Science, they have found a connection between Tourette syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Both of these disorders are too complex to be traced back to only one gene but there are two new studies in the Molecular Psychiatry journal. They state that there are different locations on human chromosomes that aid in the creation of these disorders. One of the studies was on the genetics of individuals with Tourette syndrome. It was done by taking 1,200 individuals who had Tourette syndrome and 5,000 individuals who weren’t affected. They took all of these genes and ran a genome-wide association study. They would scan all of the different genes from the sample size to see if there are any common genes within the affected individuals.



The research concluded that there were no specific genetic signals that would cause Tourette syndrome. However, they did find that there were high numbers of influential genes in the frontal lobe of the brain. They found one gene that differed between individuals with and without Tourette syndrome called COL27A1. This gene encodes a collagen protein found in cartilage. This same gene is also important in the part of the brain that controls motor function during development. In the second study, the same type of analysis was used but with 1,500 individuals who had obsessive-compulsive disorder.

This study found that a gene named BTBD3, which is part in multiple cellular functions, may have an effect on individuals with OCD. This gene is very active in the brain throughout childhood development. This is when OCD is first identified in an individual. Although the studies didn’t find a specific gene that is responsible for these disorders, they know that genes that have some affect on child development are the cause. With further studies, it is believed that they will find the connection between the two disorders and find ways to prevent it.