UF’s Carol Mathews co-led the largest-ever genome-wide association study of OCD, involving 53,660 OCD cases, 2 million controls, 200 investigators, and 20 years of sample collection. The team assessed relationships between gene expression, gene function, and OCD, looking for specific locations on chromosomes where DNA variants are associated with higher susceptibility to the disorder.

They identified 30 regions of the genome and 25 genes within those regions that are likely causal for OCD. “Over time, we’ve come to realize that OCD is not a disease of a single gene or specific brain region, but rather it’s a disease of circuits and hundreds of genes,” says Mathews. The study also found OCD is genetically related to disorders including Tourette syndrome, anorexia, anxiety, and depression

• Carol Mathews