📢 New publication in @nathumbehav.nature.com from the PGC Anxiety Working Group: the largest GWAS of generalised anxiety symptoms to date, analysing ~700k across 14 cohorts. We found 74 genome-wide significant loci, 39 novel for anxiety.

1/ We conclude this Twitter takeover spotlighting an upcoming symposium at #WCPG2026 “Advancing Psychiatric Genomics through Large-Scale African Cohorts” 🌍🧬 The session will highlight how African cohorts are reshaping psychiatric genetics globally @ispg.bsky.social

1/ 🧠🌍 Spotlight on the African Bioinformatics Institute (ABI)! ABI is helping drive data-driven biomedical research across Africa by building computational infrastructure, empowering African scientists, and ensuring genomic discoveries better represent African populations.

New preprint alert 📢: A Giant Leap for Childhood Brain Research in Africa! 🌍👶 NeuroDev is one of the largest clinical & genetic studies of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) conducted in Africa 👏🏼 www.medrxiv.org/content/10.6...

NeuroDev: etiology and experience of neurodevelopmental disorders in Kenya and South Africa

The NeuroDev study, conducted in Kenya and South Africa, is a large-scale clinical, genetic, and epidemiologic characterization of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) on the African continent. NeuroDe...

medrxiv.org

Final #PipelinePeek [Unpublished data]: For a long time, the "DNA risk scores" (PRS) used to predict mental health conditions were based mostly on people of European descent. But our genes are diverse! see poster 👇

#PipelinePeek [Unpublished data]: Beyond the Virus: How HIV and Life Experiences "Rewrite" Your Biology 🧬🌍 Other exciting research from @pgc-africa.bsky.social Early-career scientists uncovers a fascinating connection between our physical health and our mental history! posters👇

#PipelinePeek [Unpublished data]: Unlocking the Secrets of a Healthy Start! 👶✨@pgc-africa.bsky.social Early Career Scientists from @suhealthsci.bsky.social Lauren Martin and Colleagues investigate how a mother’s health and a baby’s environment shape a child's growing brain. 🧠👇

Take a look at the “Behind-the-Scenes Journey” from the Editorial on Challenges and Strategic Insights of the DepGenAfrica study as provided by @pgc-africa.bsky.social Comm’s rep Dr. Jared .G. Maina and Colleagues 🛠️🚀 www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

Today, we would highlight the Master plan from the DepGenAfrica Study Protocol by one of PGC Africa's @pgc-africa.bsky.social co-chairs Dr. Adeniran Okewole and colleagues 📝🌍 wellcomeopenresearch.org/articles/10-...

Hello from the PGC Africa working group 👋 Today, we begin our takeover to share with you exciting happenings from the working group and its members🎉This takeover is proudly brought to you by @pgc-africa.bsky.social Africa Comms and Outreach team. Stay tuned!

🧬 New paper on ADHD epigenetics. Instead of analyzing “bulk blood”, this study performed cell type-specific methylome-wide association studies (MWAS) for childhood ADHD symptoms - revealing signals hidden in traditional analyses.

What biology is involved in ADHD? This study points strongly to brain biology. #ADHD #genetics #psychiatry #mentalhealth

Genetic findings are not only about diagnosis. They can also help us understand differences in developmental and life trajectories. #ADHD #genetics #psychiatry #mentalhealth

ADHD is not a single genetic story. The new study reinforces that ADHD risk can come from different sources of genetic variation. #ADHD #genetics #psychiatry #mentalhealth

Three genes stood out in the study: MAP1A ANO8 ANK2 Rare damaging variants in these genes were associated with substantially increased ADHD risk. #ADHD #genetics #psychiatry #mentalhealth

ADHD is highly genetic, but we still do not fully understand all the genetic factors involved. A new large-scale study helps fill an important part of that gap. #ADHD #genetics #psychiatry #mentalhealth www.nature.com/articles/s41...

New autism GWAS incoming! At #INSAR2026, @jakobgrove.bsky.social presented the latest updates on the yet-to-be-released autism GWAS. Curious about the findings? Find them below ⬇️

#INSAR2026 's Saturday could be described as ‘genetics day’, as it started with an impressive keynote by the even more impressive @angelicaronald.bsky.social

🧬Autism is influenced by a combination of common variants with small effects, and rare variants with large effects (see below for a great plot, from tinyurl.com/TomaTrends)

Looking back at an amazing #INSAR2026 conference full of genetics. INSAR 2026 started with a masterclass in fundamentals, including an amazing and accessible talk by @stephansanders.bsky.social providing an overview of what genetics research is, and how we can (and can not) use it.

The autism sex ratio may be closer than we thought. A new study using Swedish birth register data shows the diagnostic ratio is decreasing over time, and age at diagnosis matters. Women are diagnosed later, and by age 20, nearly as many women as men are diagnosed.

Age at diagnosis is gaining attention in autism research. AaD is heritable, with genetic factors influencing whether someone is diagnosed earlier or later. The genetic correlation is only moderate, suggesting differing genetic profiles. Commentary: doi.org/10.1038/d415... #autism #genetics

Early- and late-diagnosed autism are genetically distinct

Analyses of symptoms and genomic data indicate that autism that manifests in early childhood is distinct from autism that is diagnosed later in development.

doi.org

Over the next two weeks, we’ll be posting about autism! From April 22–25, we’ll share live updates from the INSAR annual meeting, the largest global conference on autism research, featuring the latest in autism genetics. Follow x.com/autisminsar #autism #genetics #INSAR

International Society for Autism Research, INSAR (@AutismINSAR) / X

International Society for Autism Research, INSAR (@AutismINSAR) / X

x.com

🧵 New preprint from the PGC Anxiety Working Group: the largest GWAS of generalised anxiety symptoms to date, analysing 700k across 14 cohorts. 📄 Skelton et al found 74 genome-wide significant loci, 39 novel for anxiety doi.org/10.1101/2025...

🧵 Mitchell et al. report the first genome-wide significant loci for panic attacks (16 loci; 61,746 cases) & panic disorder (7 loci; 29,775 cases), combining data from 5 international cohorts. 📄Preprint on medRxiv doi.org/10.1101/2025...

🧬 Are the genetics of anxiety different in females and males? In a new preprint, Hu et al. report the first sex-specific GWAS meta-analysis of anxiety disorders, combining UK Biobank and All of Us: 85,000 female cases & 36,720 male cases 📄 doi.org/10.1101/2025...

🧬 DNA methylation is an epigenetic modification that can influence gene expression. What role does it play in generalised anxiety disorder? Gupta et al. conducted one of the largest epigenome-wide association studies of GAD in 45.5k from the Million Veteran Program 📄 doi.org/10.1101/2025...

🔬Does inflammation play a role in anxiety? Mac Giollabhui et al. triangulated observational, Mendelian randomization (MR) & genetic risk score analyses of inflammatory markers in ~55k from the Lifelines cohort 📄 doi.org/10.1038/s413...

🧬How genetically similar are fear & GAD? A new preprint by ter Kuile et al. addresses this via their GWAS of fear-based disorders as a group (panic, agoraphobia, specific phobia, social anxiety) & a separate GWAS of GAD.

🧵 A new review in Molecular Psychiatry by Ohi et al. takes a look at the clinical and genetic features of five anxiety disorders through the lens of anxiety, fear, & avoidance doi.org/10.1038/s413...