Insomnia is a problem affecting millions of people around the world. A study by psychiatrist Murray Stein has confirmed that this condition is hereditary. People suffering from insomnia often have a genetic mutation that makes it harder to fall asleep.

For many years, scholars believe that insomnia has genetic causes. Studies on twins have confirmed this theory 10 years ago. Nevertheless, no one has ever identified the genetic factors responsible for this condition. To answer this still open question, Dr. Stein's team analyzed the DNA of 33,000 soldiers.
Genome analyzes have shown a link between insomnia and anomalies in specific regions. In particular, mutations in chromosome 7 and chromosome 9 appear to be the most likely causes.

According to the team, the variant on chromosome 7 also involves the AUTS2 gene, linked to excessive alcohol consumption. In addition, subjects of European ancestry have shown a link between sleep disorders, depression and diabetes. All of these problems could have common genetic causes.

There are still many things to be clarified, but it is clear that insomnia has genetic causes and that these are hereditary. The confirmations come from a series of different studies. That of Dr. Stein has indeed placed on the wake of a research last year. In that case, the researchers had analyzed the DNA of 110,000 individuals. They identified genes related to insomnia, anxiety, depression and other psychiatric problems.

For now, the researchers claim to have identified 956 genes involved in insomnia problems. However, other studies will be needed to dig deeper.

Source: sciencealert.com