B4128 - Interplay between genetic risk for metabolic syndrome and mental illness on childhood development outcomes - 15/08/2022
Individuals with a mental health condition are more likely to develop metabolic syndrome, which is a collection of risk factors for heart disease like elevated blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure. Conversely, those with metabolic syndrome are also at higher risk of mental illness. This relationship can be partially explained by factors like lifestyle and medication; however, shared biology also influences the cardiovascular system and brain. For example, there is emerging evidence that there are genetic risk factors that are related to both mental health and cardiovascular disease. The impact of this genetic risk for both disorders remains poorly understood in children and adolescents. Given early intervention is important for both mental illness and heart disease, understanding these relationships may assist to identify how best to implement early intervention. This study will investigate individuals with high genetic risk for both mental health conditions and heart disease to establish whether this impacts their psychological and physical development.