In a large-scale international study, researchers have identified three genetic variants associated with subjective well-being (happiness), two variants associated with depressive symptoms, and also eleven variants associated with neuroticism (a broad personality trait characterized by the tendency to experience negative affect).
The team has found a genetic overlap between happiness and depression. Image credit: Jill Wellington.
The study involved more than 298,000 people and was led by Prof. Meike Bartels and Prof. Philipp Koellinger from Vrije Universiteit in the Netherlands, and Dr. Daniel Benjamin from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
The results were published online April 18, 2016 in the journal Nature Genetics.
“This study is both a milestone and a new beginning: a milestone because we are now certain that there is a genetic aspect to happiness and a new beginning because the three variants that we know are involved account for only a small fraction of the differences between human beings. We expect that many variants will play a part,” Prof. Bartels said.
“Happiness and wellbeing are the topics of an increasing number of scientific studies in a variety of academic disciplines,” the scientists said.
“Policy makers are increasingly focusing on wellbeing, drawing primarily on the growing body of evidence suggesting that wellbeing is a factor in mental and physical health.”
According to the team, the genetic variants for happiness are mainly expressed in the central nervous system, the adrenal glands and pancreatic system.
“The genetic overlap with depressive symptoms that we have found is also a breakthrough,” Prof. Bartels said.
“This shows that research into happiness can also offer new insights into the causes of one of the greatest medical challenges of our time: depression.”
“The findings are available for follow-up research,” the researchers said.
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Aysu Okbay et al. Genetic variants associated with subjective well-being, depressive symptoms, and neuroticism identified through genome-wide analyses. Nature Genetics, published online April 18, 2016; doi: 10.1038/ng.3552
