The main finding in the current study is an indication of shared biological underpinnings across AN, MDD, and SA. Genetic epidemiological studies reveal the proportion of genetic variance in liability to a trait attributable to additive genetic factors, and trivariate designs such as that employed here allow us to estimate the extent to which genetic and environmental factors are shared among phenotypes. Importantly, they do not directly measure genetic or environmental risk factors. Thus, to further our knowledge, genetic epidemiological studies have to be enriched with measured genotypes and environmental exposures. The calculation of genetic and environmental risk scores will allow us to estimate risk on an individual level and promote understanding of the structure, function, and processes of genetic and environmental risk factors. Ultimately, this will pave the way for the development of more precise diagnostics that in turn will improve both prevention and treatment.
