However, the small amount of additional variance also demonstrates the need for other techniques, such as the use of biologically informed multilocus genetic profiles, to better represent underlying molecular differences (50). A genetic profile representing variability in multiple levels of the HPA axis might offer particular utility; for example, polymorphisms that are known to affect stress response (e.g., rs5522) as well as those that have been associated with impaired negative feedback of the HPA axis (e.g., FKBP5 polymorphisms [51]) could be combined into a single genetic profile score that better represents HPA axis function.
