According to researchers at Sun Yat-sen University, genetic predisposition to common viral infections may have different effects on the risk of developing mental illness. The results of the study were published in the journal "Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health" (BBI).
The scientists analyzed the genetic data of more than 410,000 individuals of European descent in the FinnGen database. The study used Mendelian randomization, a genetic approach that allows identifying cause-and-effect relationships.
The study examined genetic markers associated with susceptibility to 12 viruses, including hepatitis B, HIV, Epstein-Barr virus, SARS-CoV-2, and human papillomavirus. The researchers then assessed the association of these markers with the risk of five mental disorders: depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), schizophrenia, and manic episodes.
Vulnerability to certain viruses has been found to be associated with protection against certain mental illnesses. For example, genetic predisposition to hepatitis B virus reduced the risk of generalized anxiety disorder by 6%, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) by 16%, and SARS-CoV-2 by 22%. Genetic predisposition to human papillomavirus infection reduced the risk of schizophrenia by 16%.
Meanwhile, susceptibility to Epstein-Barr virus (the causative agent of mononucleosis) was associated with a slightly increased risk of depression. According to scientists, not all viruses work in the same way, and their interaction with the immune system and the brain is complex.
The authors emphasize that the new data not only point to possible biological mechanisms of protection, but also question the thinking that viruses are exclusively harmful to the psyche. This may influence future strategies for the prevention and treatment of mental disorders.
Translation by Euromedia24.com
