Platelet function is shaped by genes like ITGB3, GP1BA, and ITGA2 that build the receptors platelets use to clot. This article explains how platelets work, what the ITGB3 PlA1/A2 polymorphism means, and how pathway-level genetic insight adds context to a conversation with your provider.

The ACE gene shapes blood pressure, heart structure, and endurance through the renin-angiotensin system. This guide explains the ACE insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism, why the D allele links to higher ACE activity and blood pressure, and how the I allele connects to endurance performance in the research.

Genetics accounts for roughly 30–40% of how much sleep you need, shaped by variants in BHLHE41 (DEC2), PER3, CLOCK, ADRB1, and ADA. This article explains how these genes set your sleep-duration range and chronotype, and what the PlexusDx Precision Peptide Genetic Test reveals about your recovery pathways.

Suicidal thoughts arise from biology, life circumstances, and mental health together, with heritability estimated at 30 to 50 percent. This article explains the genes studied in stress and mood regulation — SLC6A4, BDNF, and COMT — why genetics is not destiny, and where to find immediate help. If you are in crisis, call or text 988.

Ankylosing spondylitis, an inflammatory arthritis of the spine, has one of the strongest genetic links in rheumatology: HLA-B27, alongside ERAP1 and the IL-23/IL-17 pathway. This article explains those genetic factors, why most HLA-B27 carriers never develop the disease, and the provider-led role of testing.

Blood glycine levels are strongly genetic: GLDC runs the glycine cleavage system, while SHMT1 and CPS1 shape synthesis and clearance. Low glycine tracks with cardiometabolic risk in population studies. Learn how these named gene variants work and how pathway-level genetic insight adds context to your health picture.

Pregnenolone is the first steroid hormone your body makes from cholesterol and the shared precursor to cortisol, testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone. Genes such as StAR, CYP11A1, and CYP21A2 influence how efficiently you produce it, shaping reproductive and sexual health. Learn what genetic insight can and cannot tell you.

Trichotillomania, a hair-pulling disorder affecting 1% to 2% of people, runs in families. This article explains how genes such as SLITRK1 and SAPAP3 (DLGAP3) shape the compulsive urge, the role of serotonin and dopamine circuits, and why genetics is context for professional care rather than a diagnosis or treatment plan.

Cerebral small vessel disease quietly damages the brain’s smallest vessels and drives vascular cognitive decline. Learn how genes like NOTCH3 and MTHFR shape risk, what research shows about homocysteine and blood pressure, and how pathway-level genetic insight supports informed conversations with your provider.

Food allergy vulnerability is shaped by skin-barrier and immune genes, most notably FLG (filaggrin) plus IL13, IL4, STAT6, and specific HLA types. These variants raise susceptibility rather than guaranteeing an allergy. This article explains the atopic march, what research shows, and how pathway-level genetic insight informs a provider conversation.

Psoriasis is strongly heritable, and genetic markers including HLA-C*06:02, IL23R, and IL12B shape susceptibility through the IL-23/Th17 immune pathway. Learn how these variants raise risk, why triggers still matter, and how pathway-level genetic insight informs a personalized conversation with your provider.

Gout is driven more by genetics than diet. Variants in urate-transporter genes—ABCG2 (rs2231142), SLC2A9/GLUT9, and SLC22A12/URAT1—determine how efficiently your body clears uric acid. Learn which mutations raise gout risk, why family patterns emerge, and how pathway-level genetic insight adds context.

COMT rs4680 (Val158Met) shapes how quickly the brain clears dopamine from the prefrontal cortex, influencing stress resilience and cognition. Learn what the 'warrior versus worrier' trade-off means, what research shows, and how pathway-level insight from PlexusDx puts this variant in context.

Atherosclerosis hardens arteries as LDL-rich plaque builds over decades, and genes like LDLR, APOB, PCSK9, and the 9p21 locus shape how fast it develops. This article explains how plaque forms, which inherited variants raise cardiovascular risk, and how pathway-level genetic insight informs prevention.

Genetic differences help explain why ginseng affects people differently. Gut bacteria, CYP3A5 (variant rs776746), and COMT (rs4680) shape how ginsenosides are absorbed, cleared, and perceived. Learn what these named variants do and how pathway-level genetic context supports an informed conversation with your provider.

Susceptibility to Group A Streptococcus is shaped by immune genetics, especially HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQB1 class II genes tied to rheumatic fever risk, plus innate immune variants. This article explains the genetic factors behind strep infection and complications, and the modifiable habits that lower everyday risk.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) affects about one in ten people and is a real gut-brain axis disorder, not “all in your head.” With 90 percent of serotonin made in the gut, variants in SLC6A4, TNFSF15, and SCN5A are linked to IBS. Learn the genetics and how it differs from IBD.

Creativity is polygenic, not a single gene. Variants in COMT, DRD2, and BDNF shape dopamine processing, novelty seeking, and neuroplasticity, tilting how you generate and refine ideas. This article explains the science and the evidence-based habits — sleep, exercise, novel learning — that enhance creativity across any genetic background.

Genes like SLC22A5, BBOX1, and CPT2 shape how your body transports, produces, and uses carnitine, the molecule that ferries fat into mitochondria for energy. This article explains the carnitine pathways, the role of diet and methylation, and what your DNA can and cannot tell you about your energy metabolism.

DHT is the most potent male androgen, and how much you make and how strongly you respond to it are shaped by genes like SRD5A2 and the androgen receptor gene AR. This article explains DHT's role in male sexual health, the genetic factors behind imbalance, and how pathway-level insight adds context.