Approved Research

An Investigation into the Genetic Overlap between Anxiety Disorders, Psychiatric Comorbidities and Neuroimaging Phenotypes

Lay summary

This proposal seeks to apply UK Biobank data to study the genetic relationship of human traits and altered brain structures. We aim to assess the genetic overlap between psychiatric disorders and associated health outcomes. Previous studies have successfully identified many genetic regions associated with psychiatric disorders. However, the genetic basis of many of these disorders is still largely unknown. We hypothesis that the genetics of these disorders remains undetected due to traditional statistical methods and that by leveraging novel statistical techniques we will be able to uncover the genetic overlap between traits. Uncovering the shared genetic causes of psychiatric disorders and altered brain structures could improve diagnosis, treatment outcomes and increase quality of life for patients. Thus, this proposal aligns with the stated aim of the UK Biobank 'to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of illness and the promotion of health throughout society'.