Genetic breakthrough links 36 genes to OCD, tics, and overlapping psychiatric conditions

A landmark study involving international collaboration has pinpointed 36 genes associated with obsessive-compulsive disorder and chronic tic disorders, revealing shared biological pathways and potential new targets for treatment.

Researchers at Rutgers and partner institutions have identified 36 genes that appear to sharply increase the risk of obsessive-compulsive disorder and chronic tic disorders, a finding that could help explain why the conditions often overlap in the same people and families. The study, published in Nature Neuroscience, analysed DNA from nearly 4,000 people diagnosed with OCD, chronic tic disorders or both, and focused on rare mutations that disrupt genes involved in brain development and function.

The work adds weight to the view that these conditions are not driven by isolated genetic glitches but by shared biological pathways. According to Rutgers, the newly identified genes point to brain circuits involved in impulse control, movement and habit formation, particularly in the cortex and striatum. The researchers also reported genetic links with autism and schizophrenia, suggesting that several psychiatric disorders may arise from overlapping disruptions in early brain wiring and communication.

Gary Heiman, a Rutgers genetics professor and senior co-author of the study, said the findings “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.” Jay Tischfield, another senior co-author, said the discovery of more than 30 targets could open new possibilities for drug development, because the genes act in networks rather than in isolation.

The project drew on a large international collaboration spanning the United States, Canada, Europe, South Korea and South America, with families contributing DNA samples over many years. Researchers compared the genetic sequences of affected children with those of their parents and other controls, allowing them to spot new mutations that were not inherited. The team said that long-term commitment, combined with modern whole-exome sequencing, gave them a much clearer picture of the biology behind the disorders and a stronger starting point for future treatment research.