Brains are not only shaped by our experience, but also by our genes. A new study led by neuroscientists Bernardo Maciel and Martijn van den Heuvel found that at least one-third of our brain connections are heritable.
Our brains are complex networks of different areas communicating with each other. Keeping this network working efficiently is fundamental to a healthy brain. But why do people differ in the way their brain is wired?
In a new study investigating the brains and DNA of over 25,000 people, Maciel, Van den Heuvel and their colleagues researched how genes play a role in shaping the brain’s functional wiring. This work is part of the Brainscapes project, a large-scale NWO initiative aiming to map genetic findings to the biology of the brain. By combining large-scale brain imaging and genomic data, this study helps reveal how genetic variation influences the organization of functional brain networks, positioning brain connectivity as a potential endophenotype linking genes to cognition and behaviour. The findings of this study offer an important step toward understanding how GWAS may contribute to our understanding of how genetic risk impacts brain function and, ultimately, brain disorders. The study was published in in Nature Communications.
One-third of brain connections heritable
Studying the brain like a network allows us to learn how different areas work together. At least one-third of all brain connections are heritable, meaning that differences in DNA between people contributes to variation in how different regions of their brain communicate.
Five important genes were found to be associated with brain wiring: PAX8, EphA3, and THBS1, which are linked to brain development; APOE, a gene also famous for its role in Alzheimer’s risk; and SLC39A12, a gene newly implicated in shaping brain networks. Because these genes are active in developmental pathways, this work helps us understand how early-life genetic factors can shape lifelong brain function.
Interplay
Many of these genetic influences overlap with genes associated with cognition, suggesting that the genetics of brain function may relate to thinking abilities. These genetic factors also overlap with those linked to cardiovascular health, hinting at an interplay between genes, brain wiring and overall body health.
The study shows that our brains are shaped not only by experience but also by the genetic blueprint we are born with. Investigating the links between genes and brain wiring may help us better understand the brain and contributes to the efforts to predict, prevent, and treat conditions affecting both the brain and the body.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-69442-9