Genetic Variation, Stress, and Physiological Stress Response in Adults With Food Allergy or Celiac Disease.

This article explores the association between genetic variation in selected stress-related genes and stress exposures, psychological symptoms, and physiological stress responses in adults with food allergy (FA) or celiac disease (CD) compared to matched controls. Using data from 124 cases and 124 controls, the study examined single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes including CRHBP (corticotropin-releasing hormone binding protein), CRHR1 (corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 1), and OXTR (oxytocin receptor), finding suggestive associations between certain SNP genotypes and measures of stress, anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms. Notably, minor alleles in OXTR SNP rs2268490 were linked to increased stress and anxiety symptoms, while minor alleles in CRHR1 SNP rs242940 appeared protective against these symptoms. The study highlights that genetic factors may interact with chronic health conditions like FA and CD to influence stress-related outcomes, recommending larger, more diverse prospective studies incorporating environmental and epigenetic factors to better understand these relationships.