Pulse Brain · Growing Health Evidence Index
Tier 1 — Meta-analysis / systematic reviewPeer-reviewed

Genome-wide meta-analysis of insomnia prioritizes genes associated with metabolic and psychiatric pathways

Kyoko Watanabe, Philip R. Jansen, Jeanne E. Savage, Priyanka Nandakumar, Xin Wang, Michelle Agee, Stella Aslibekyan, Adam Auton, Robert K. Bell, Katarzyna Bryc, Sarah Clark, Sarah L. Elson, Kipper Fletez‐Brant, Pierre Fontanillas, Nicholas A. Furlotte, Pooja Gandhi, Karl Heilbron, Barry Hicks, Karen E. Huber, Ethan M. Jewett, Yunxuan Jiang, Aaron Kleinman, Keng‐Han Lin, Nadia K. Litterman, Jennifer C. McCreight, Matthew H. McIntyre, Kimberly F. McManus, Joanna L. Mountain, Sahar V. Mozaffari, Elizabeth S. Noblin, Carrie A. M. Northover, Jared O’Connell, Steven J. Pitts, G. David Poznik, J. Fah Sathirapongsasuti, Janie F. Shelton, Jing Shi, Suyash Shringarpure, Chao Tian, Joyce Y. Tung, Robert J. Tunney, Vladimir Vacic, Wei Wang, David A. Hinds, Joel Gelernter, Daniel F. Levey, Renato Polimanti, Murray B. Stein, Eus J.W. Van Someren, August B. Smit, Daniëlle Posthuma

Nature Genetics · 2022

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Summary

This genome-wide meta-analysis integrated large-scale genetic data to identify common variants and genes underlying insomnia, with particular emphasis on metabolic and psychiatric pathway involvement. The work suggests that insomnia has substantial heritable components linked to systemic metabolic dysregulation and mental health phenotypes, as indicated by pathway enrichment analyses. The findings may have implications for understanding how sleep disruption relates to metabolic health and systemic disease risk.

UK applicability

Genetic findings from large predominantly Western cohorts such as this may be applicable to UK populations with similar ancestry composition, though pathway biology could inform prevention and treatment strategies in UK primary care and nutrition research. However, direct translation to dietary or farming interventions would require mechanistic studies linking identified pathways to modifiable lifestyle or nutritional factors.

Key measures

Genome-wide association statistics; pathway enrichment analyses; genetic heritability estimates; prioritised genes associated with insomnia phenotypes

Outcomes reported

The study identified genetic variants and biological pathways associated with insomnia susceptibility through genome-wide association analysis. It prioritised genes involved in metabolic and psychiatric pathways as key contributors to insomnia risk.

Theme
Nutrition & health
Subject
Dietary patterns & chronic disease
Study type
Meta-analysis
Study design
Meta-analysis
Source type
Peer-reviewed study
Status
Published
Geography
United States
System type
Human clinical
DOI
10.1038/s41588-022-01124-w
Catalogue ID
SNmoj44b9n-xx46gh

Topic tags

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