mental health

NEGR1

Connecting Nerve Cell Growth & Depression (NEGR1)

Written by Jasmine Foster, BSc, BEd on October 2nd, 2020

NEGR1 helps brain cells grow, develop, and form connections with one another. How is it connected to mental health & depression? Find out here.

Summary

NEGR1 helps brain cells grow, develop, and form connections with each other. Variants of NEGR1 may play a role in depression by reducing the connectivity between brain cells. Diet modifications may help counteract the effects of these variants by increasing NEGR1.

NEGR1 and Depression

The NEGR1 gene encodes the NEGR1 protein (short for ‘neuronal growth regulator 1’), also known as kilon or neurotractin. NEGR1 is found in many brain areas such as the hippocampus, olfactory bulb, and cortex, and most abundantly in the hypothalamus [R, R, R, R].

As can be guessed from its name, NEGR1 is involved in the growth of brain cells. More specifically, it stimulates the outgrowth of neurons in the developing brain and helps establish connections between these cells [R, R, R].

NEGR1 has also been implicated in depression. Animals bred to lack the NEGR1 gene displayed depressive symptoms, and some variants in the gene may increase or decrease susceptibility to depression [R, R, R].

These results suggest that lower than normal NEGR1 activity may lead to depression by reducing connections between neurons [R].

Many SNPs in the NEGR1 gene have been associated with depression. Remember that any one of these variants on its own will likely have a very tiny effect, so it’s important to look at the big picture of all of your variants.

NEGR1 helps brain cells grow, develop, and form connections with one another. Genetic variants that reduce NEGR1 have been associated with depression.

Your NEGR1 Results for Depression

SNP Table

variant	genotype	frequency	risk allele
rs2568958
rs2815752
rs3101336
rs7531118
rs1993709
rs990871
rs10789336
rs1432639
rs12141660

NEGR1 rs2568958

‘A’ = More common in people with depression
‘G’ = Less common in people with depression
The 'G' allele may increase NEGR1 expression [R, R]

NEGR1 rs2815752

‘A’ = More common in people with depression
‘G’ = Less common in people with depression
The 'G' allele may increase NEGR1 expression [R]

NEGR1 rs3101336

‘C’ = More common in people with depression
‘T’ = Less common in people with depression
The 'T' allele may increase NEGR1 expression [R]

NEGR1 rs7531118

‘T’ = Less common in people with depression
‘C’ = More common in people with depression
The 'C' allele may decrease NEGR1 expression [R]

NEGR1 rs1993709

‘G’ = More common in people with depression
‘A’ = Less common in people with depression
The 'A' allele may increase NEGR1 expression [R]

NEGR1 rs990871

‘T’ = More common in people with depression
‘C’ = Less common in people with depression
The 'C' allele may increase NEGR1 expression [R]

NEGR1 rs10789336

‘A’ = More common in people with depression
‘G’ = Less common in people with depression
The 'G' allele may increase NEGR1 expression [R, R]

NEGR1 rs1432639

‘A’ = More common in people with depression
‘C’ = Less common in people with depression
The 'C' allele may increase NEGR1 expression [R, R, R, R]

NEGR1 rs12141660

‘C’ = Less common in people with depression
‘T’ = More common in people with depression
The 'T' allele may decrease NEGR1 expression [R, R]

Recommendations

Calorie Restriction

In rats, limiting feeding to a 2-hour time window between 1 and 3 PM increased NEGR1 expression in two brain regions associated with feeding behavior (ventro-medial hypothalamus and substantia nigra) when compared to unrestricted feeding [R].

Calorie restriction and the resulting weight loss improved anxiety and mood in several trials on aging and overweight people [R, R, R].

A calorie-restricted, low-fat diet showed more favorable effects on mood and anxiety than a low carbohydrate diet without calorie restriction in a weight-loss study followed up for one year [R].

Eating less food and consuming fewer calories may increase NEGR1 expression and help with depression symptoms.

Mediterranean Diet

In mice, a Western-style diet rich in fats and refined carbohydrates decreased NEGR1 expression [R, R].

The Mediterranean diet is rich in fruits and vegetables, and includes regional foods such as olive oil, nuts, whole grains, fish, and wine. It contains more fiber and polyunsaturated fatty acids (‘healthy fat’) than a standard Western-style diet.

Adherence to a Mediterranean diet has been associated with lower rates of depression [R, R].

A Mediterranean-diet intervention supplemented with fish oil improved mental health in people with major depression [R].

A few human studies have associated olive oil consumption with a reduced overall risk of depression and improved depressive symptoms [R, R].

Consumption of olive oil and oleic acid — the primary fatty acid in olive oil — reduced depression risk in a large-scale clinical trial [R].

Western style diets may decrease NEGR1 compared to Mediterranean style diets, which have also reduced depressive symptoms in clinical trials.

Jasmine Foster

BSc, BEd

Jasmine received her BS from McGill University and her BEd from Vancouver Island University.

Jasmine loves helping people understand their brains and bodies, a passion that grew out of her dual background in biology and education. From the chem lab to the classroom, everyone has the right to learn and make informed decisions about their health.

Disclaimer

The information on this website has not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration or any other official medical body. This information is presented for educational purposes only, and may not be used to diagnose or treat any illness or disease.

Also keep in mind that the “Risk Score” presented in this post is based only on a select number of SNPs, and therefore only represents a small portion of your total risk as an individual. Furthermore, these analyses are based primarily on associational studies, which do not necessarily imply causation. Finally, many other (non-genetic) factors can also play a significant role in the development of a disease or health condition — therefore, carrying any of the risk-associated genotypes discussed in this post does not necessarily mean you are at increased risk of developing a major health condition.

Always consult your doctor before acting on any information or recommendations discussed in this post — especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have been officially diagnosed with a medical condition.

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