Demystifying DNA

Decoding Minds: Unraveling the Genetics of Mental Health

• Dr. Tiffany Montgomery (P23 Health) • Episode 12

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Unlock the secrets of your mind and DNA with Dr. Tiffany Montgomery and Tak Williams as they guide us through the fascinating interplay of genetics and mental health. This journey promises to illuminate the hidden ways our genetic makeup can influence our psyche, offering a clearer understanding of ourselves and our mental well-being. With the Doctors' expertise in infectious disease and Tak's community mentorship, our hosts reveal the scientific threads that connect our genes to our emotions and behaviors, shattering the myths and simplifying the science behind what makes us tick mentally.

Ever wondered what mental resilience really looks like and how it's wired within us? Dr. Montgomery and Tak provide a compassionate roadmap for nurturing our psychological health, especially for those without the luxury of financial resources. They share actionable strategies for bolstering mental fortitude, stress the normalcy of fluctuating mental states, and discuss the role genetic markers play in our ability to weather life's storms. Their conversation resonates with authenticity, offering solace and solutions for anyone striving to maintain mental balance in a turbulent world.

As we gaze into the future of mental health care, our hosts explore the revolutionary potential of AI and genetic research in crafting personalized wellness journeys. They delve into how these advancements could redefine treatment, support, and resilience – and the promise it holds for people from all walks of life. With Dr. Montgomery as our guiding hand, this episode extends an invitation to remain curious and proactive in our quest for mental clarity, emphasizing that help and hope are within reach for everyone. Tune in for an episode that not only enlightens but also empowers as we continue to decode the profound impact our DNA has on our mental landscape.

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Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

Welcome back to Demystifying DNA, the podcast where we explore the wonders of genetics and their impact on our lives. I'm your host, the curious lady, Dr. Tiffany Montgomery. Scientists and epidemiologists, I study population health and infectious disease. I like to make it very clear while I'm not a medical doctor, I am a scientific researcher through and through and I am thrilled to have you join me today as we dive deep into the intricate world of genetics and mental health. In this episode, decoding Minds, unraveling the Genetics of Mental Health, will embark on a fascinating journey to understand how our genes shape our mental well-being.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

Joining me today is fellow co-host, mr Tak Williams. Some of you have met Tak before on the previous podcast. You all really enjoyed our dialogue, so we had to have Tak back. Why? Because, as I told you, toc is a people expert, father of five, computer IT extraordinaire, guru, mentor, leader, teacher in his community, very involved in the lives of others and shaping young minds. Toc is motivational, relatable and an educated person to talk to and because of his love for people we had to have him back right. Welcome, Tak.

Tak Williams:

Hey, welcome everybody. I want to say thank you first and foremost to Dr. Montgomery for having me back. I'm just as excited as I was when I was first invited to your platform and even more excited because it seems like there were listeners who had some great questions. I think the dialogue we had before and that's typical of your platform, your podcast is more of a dialogue. It's not like one way you engage the listeners and the listeners respond. Just think that that's how growth works, especially in a positive direction.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

Well, thank you, Tak. I appreciate that feedback, especially coming from someone who has their own phenomenal podcast. Tak and I are working through this because he's a podcast host, I'm a host and so he's working on being a guest, right, so don't steal my show, Tak, but we are so glad that you joined us. Tak has his own show, Tak Williams, and he's a great host. I'm going to talk about the topic of the next episode of the Top 50. Top 50 is not scientific at all, so no competition there. But I tell you what? Tak just has a dynamic way of looking at things and presenting it. So, for today, we're going to be talking about a wide range of mental health topics as it relates to the focus of the topic. So we're going to be talking about the focus of the topic. So we're going to be talking about the focus of the topic. So let's get started, let's talk, let's dive in with Tak for what promises to be an intriguing discussion. So, toc, Mr. Tak, welcome back, sir.

Tak Williams:

Thank you. I'm curious. I have a question just right off the top. I feel like a listener at this point Mental health, genetics. From the mental health side, I've been walking around for years, and probably many others have also, and we tend to generalize what things are. If someone was to ask me do you know what mental health is? That first initial question I would feel confident that I could respond. But the moment I begin to think about what my definition would be, I just would hit the brakes and I say hold up, you know like what is that? And that's because more people experience mental health versus articulating it, expressing it. So I would ask you what is mental health?

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

So, Todd, I'm glad you asked, and it's crazy because when you come on, our conversations are so organic. It's almost like descriptive, and I promise they're not. But that's a great way. If I had given somebody a question and said this is how I want you to start my show, that would be it, Because we have to define what it is we're talking about. It's a term we hear thrown from left to right. It's like what is mental health?

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

Mental health refers to a person's emotional, psychological and social well-being. It factors all three of those things. It involves the individual's ability to handle stress, relate to others and make decisions. So you've got three things going into. Three things cause and effect at the same time, and that's why it's so complicated.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

Mental health is influenced by a variety of factors, and genetics plays a significant role in shaping an individual's susceptibility to certain mental health conditions. Genetics refers to the study of genes and how traits and characteristics are inherited from one generation to the next. We reset this definition every time we do this podcast because, like I always say, I'm not expecting anybody heard the previous one. We're going to start right here today and I don't want you to feel lost. This is not a Marvel episode where you got to go back and understand how Captain America was conceived to get here. We're going to help you right where you are. Many mental health disorders have a genetic component, meaning that they can run in families. Now, genetics alone doesn't determine why someone will develop a mental health disorder, but it can contribute to increase vulnerability. You know when we talk about genetics and epigenetics and how these things are expressed, so we have to be mindful of the role that genes play.

Tak Williams:

I would like to say that that's probably why I think that many of us experience it instead of articulating it, because what you said is what I think and it's definitely what I experienced, just being a human being, I've seen, I've witnessed and I've also experienced over the years times where, like physical health, you know, I felt good physically, I felt like I could do whatever it was that I needed to to address maybe my weight, to address my metabolism, my diet, and at times that carried over to my mental health, feeling good, you know, having that outwith perspective, feeling positive, just feeling great. The energy is there and but I never really thought about it as mental health in and of itself and that's why, you know, your response to my question really helps to clear that up. So thanks for that.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

Talk. You know it's my pleasure and I just want to understand it and help you understand the relationship between mental health and genetics. It covers at least six different parts. You've got your genetic predisposition, so you've got the certain genetic factors that increase the likelihood of developing mental health disorders, and these genetic predispositions may involve variations in a specific gene related to brain function, neurotransmitter regulation or even response to stress. Heritability, which is the extent to which gene factors contribute to the development or particular of a particular trait or condition. Mental health disorders often have a varying degrees of heritability, including the influence of genetics on their occurrence.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

So mental health is a complex interplay between genetics and environmental factors. What do we call that? Epigenetics. While genetics contribute, environmental influence such as stress, trauma, family dynamics and life experiences also play a crucial role in the onset and course of mental health conditions. They have a polygenic nature. Many mental health disorders are polygenic. They involve multiple genes, not one multiple. The interaction of numerous genetic variations along with environmental factors contribute to the complexity of understanding and predicting mental health outcomes. Again, flat out epigenetics, because epigenetics factors can influence gene expression without altering the underlying DNA sequence. Environmental factors such as stress or early life experiences or trauma can modify gene activity, impacting mental health outcomes. And then you've got risk and resilience. So, just like we talked about infectious diseases playing a role in how resilient you are, how susceptible you are, we've got those same factors with mental health. While some genetic factors may increase the risk of mental health disorders, others may contribute to the resilience. Protective genetic factors and coping mechanisms can play a role in mitigating the impact of environmental stressors.

Tak Williams:

I would like to ask what is the difference between mental health illness and maybe a mental disorder? Because I talked to a friend of mine a couple months ago and she told me she was taking some time off from work and I was kind of asking, like you know, what's going on and she said that she had to deal with some mental health issues. Now, later on, she explained to me that she had a mental disorder, and I really didn't get into it real deep with her in terms of why or where was the demarcation line, like where did it cross over between it being a mental health issue and now there's a mental disorder? But from what I gathered from her, when she was explaining her mental health issues, this was more of her saying what she was going through, what she realized and recognized, and it was sort of like a self-dagnosing of maybe her mood or her energy or her current status on herself, her biofeedback, whatever. And then when she went to explain the mental disorder, it was, like you know, she was diagnosed by maybe a professional or a doctor or whoever.

Tak Williams:

And so I guess my question is is mental health a general term that's used as an umbrella and then underneath that you'll find mental disorders, or are they separate in and of themselves? Because it seems like people that I've been around and myself, when we go to discuss it, we have conversations, it jumps over. You know, five minutes into it we're talking about the same subject matter, maybe something like drugs or addiction or different things like that, and now we're talking about what appears to me, or as I understand it, as a mental disorder, even though the conversation was about mental health. So if you could just shed some light on that, just add a little color to what the differences are, or where does it break off at?

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

So this answer I'm going to give it to you two ways. For our science junkie nerds, it's like talking about physiology versus pathology, all right. For our non-science nerds, it is like talking about let's go to the science nerd part. Mental health is a term that can be overly generalized or overly abused All right. So we all have mental health. So for my non-science people, it's like saying you have an attitude, all right, everybody has an attitude. Somewhere along in our society that's become a negative connotation. Somebody said you have an attitude, you automatically get defensive and you want to prove why you don't have attitude. But hey, here's the deal. Good, bad or neutral, we all have an attitude. Okay, attitude is something that everybody has. It's the same with mental health.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

Mental health is something that everybody has. When it goes wrong or when it doesn't operate in the way that we expect or we can understand, it then becomes a mental health disorder, disease or illness. Mental health can be a one-time thing, like a crisis that you're having, or it can be a long-term thing, which is a disorder or illness, or something that happens over time. For my science people, physiology is what we all have. Everybody has physiology. Okay, it's universal. Some of us have diseases. Some of us have illnesses or ailments or something that doesn't just go the way the textbook says it's supposed to go. Your ear is shaped a little funny. Maybe you have one hand bigger than the other, or one finger longer than the other, and that's supposed to be symmetrical. They can be subtle differences, but that becomes a pathology or something that's not working right. So you've got physiology, which everybody has, you've got attitude, which everybody has, and you've got mental health, which everybody has, and then you've got times where these things don't go the way we think they should. So mental health and mental health disorders are not the same. Mental health refers to your overall well-being, including your thoughts, feelings and behaviors. Like we said, right, mental health disorders are diagnosable conditions that affect your mental functioning and cause distress and impairment. Everyone has mental health, but not everyone has mental health disorder. Now you've got to remember your mental health can change over time, depending on factors, because of all the factors that contribute to your mental health. So it's important to understand the complexity of what goes into mental health.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

Okay, now, some of the things that I want to make sure we talk about are the significance of genetic markers and understanding mental resilience. Imagine your body has tiny tags called genetic markers. These tags are like special codes that health scientists understand why some people are better at bouncing back from tough times, while others may not be right. And by studying these tags, scientists can learn how your genes influence our ability to stay strong and positive even when things get hard. So, on a scientific level, genetic markers, or specific DNA sequences, are crucial in unraveling the mysteries of mental resilience. These markers act as indicators that scientists use to pinpoint genetic variations associated with an individual's ability to withstand and recover from mental challenges. Understanding these markers provide us insight into complex genetic factors contributing to resilience.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

Resilience, as we said, is how well you bounce back. So, as you gave the example of your friend and you talked about her describing her mental health condition or disorder at that time, it's important to understand that your friend is normal, that we all have things that happen to us that we have to stop and think about. How can we cope with these things? Our genes are already going to play a role in providing us with how well we can do that, and what we want to work on are activities that help fortify this resilience. Sometimes it comes in the form of rest and taking a break. Sometimes it's in the form of medication, sometimes it's in the form of talking to people, sometimes it's journal writing, but these are all things that we do, or figure out how to do, to foster our resilience.

Tak Williams:

So when people say I just need to break, I just need to shut down for a minute, you know, like a mental reset, a lot of times I'm thinking that that's what they're talking about. They're addressing whatever that mental health is. They're addressing that, they're taking action, they're doing something that gives them a break, gives them a chance to reset, to step back, give the brain a chance to breathe and then come back at it. But is it that the resilience, like you say? How do we deal with a situation, how do we respond to a situation that may be stressful for us or causes distress? You know it's like how does that process where they talk about? You know, anxiety, hanging around too long turns into stress, these types of things.

Tak Williams:

So in those early stages of addressing your mental health issues, what coping mechanisms or what strategies or techniques would you say are available for people to seek out? They may not have it right now, but what tools or resources and how available might they be? If we're starting off at a level of free 99,? You know, you just don't have the budget. You may not have. It's like having insurance. A lot of people they're not working for companies that's providing health insurance and they're not getting yearly checkups and they're just not doing it. So, for the average Joe or Joan, what are some suggestions that you have that they may have access to, where they can get an idea of some resources and tools they could use to assist them with mental health issues?

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

Well, I'm not a mental health provider and P23 Health is not a direct mental health provider either, but there are resources available. I would say talk to someone, normalize how you feel, reach out to a person that you could trust, or Google a number that you can call. Talk to your doctor. There are resources available. I think that it's important to understand that whatever you're going through is normal. It's normal for you, it's acceptable and there's such a profound connection between genetics and mental resilience. That's where P23 can come in and really help you. That's where a professional like myself can help you right, because our genes, which are like tiny instructions inside of us, play a big role in how we handle challenges. Think of it as having a superpower. Some people are naturally good at staying strong in tough situations and scientists now are trying to figure out how our genes are playing a role in this heroism that help us build mental strength and bounce back when life is challenging. Genetics is intricately woven into the fabric of mental resilience. It involves the study of how our genes influence cognitive processes, emotional response and coping mechanisms. The profound connection lies in recognizing the certain genetic factors contributivity and individuals in eight, capacity for resilience influencing their ability to adapt and thrive among life's most challenging of circumstances. Now what I can tell you is that we are really pushing the envelope with the latest breakthroughs in mental health research. Right now, scientists are like detectives investigating how our minds work. Recently, we made exciting discoveries about how our brain function and how to help people feel better mentally. It's like finding new pieces to a puzzle that can help us understand and support our mental well-being. Contemporary mental health research is akin to an unfolding cycle of breakthroughs and discoveries. You want to talk to somebody that is in that field, because it's evolving every day. It's changing. It's so normal, it's so likely for us to have a mental health breakdown, a temporary crisis. Everybody I don't care how strong you are, even me you have those moments where you need to work on your resilience or do things that reaffirm or strengthen that resilience. You have to fortify or build where you are. This, like myself, the curious one are constantly delving into the intricate workings of the brain, employing advanced technologies and methodologies. These breakthroughs involve uncovering novel insights into mental health disorders, treatment options, preventive measures and propelling the understanding of our mind to new heights. Recently, there have been several major mental health breakthroughs. We're going to talk about a few of them. One of them is ketamine, which is a psychedelic. It's shown promise for treating depression, anxiety and other mental disorders. It works to alter brain activity and connectivity in ways that may enhance mood and cognition. Another one is one that P23 Health has really led the way in, and that's pharmacogenetic testing, which can help personalize antidepressant treatment by identifying genetic factors that affect how patients respond to different drugs. This may reduce trial and error and improve your outcomes.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

And then the most mainstream way that a lot of people are talking about now is something called artificial intelligence or AI. I had a person once say have you heard of AI? Ai in this instance is not referring to Allen Iverson. It's referring to the help that has contributed to mental health using artificial intelligence. So AI is artificial intelligence. Several ways we use it. We use data from various sources to detect, diagnose and monitor mental health conditions like depression, schizophrenia, anxiety. It's used to develop and personalize adaptive interventions that can tailor treatments to individuals' needs and preferences. It enhances the accessibility and affordability of mental health services, especially for underserved populations, by providing chatbots, apps, online platforms that give us resources for our mental health. And then it also helps in advancing the understanding of the biological, psychological and social factors that influence mental health and well-being.

Tak Williams:

So if one were to seek out some assistance, let's say, if they work somewhere, typically they may find it with their employer, but if they're outside of the workforce, you recommend that they just look for some organizations or some free clinics. Or what would you say to that person?

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

If you have no one that you can talk to, then I would look for an organization or a free clinic. If you have one person that you can trust and talk to, I would talk to that person as a first step. Depending on your financial situation, you can see an online telehealth provider, a licensed medical provider anywhere from $10 to $100. And $100 is more like a monthly membership or yearly membership or that kind of thing. P23 Health has providers, but not mental health providers. So if you called us or emailed us, we could help you with finding resources based on the area that you live in and the organizations in that area. We're really big in giving back, so we have national partners and regional partners that we donate our resources, our time, our money to give back to these partners. So we've established connections. We have people that we could point you to or that you could call. So if you have nobody to call and nobody to talk to and you can't do an online telehealth visit, call us. Your initial consultation is free and we can help you with finding resources or programs specific to your area.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

It's too complex to give a general recommendation without me being a mental health provider to say exactly.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

This is the number that you need to dial or this is the person that you need to talk to.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

But the number one thing I could say, just based on good health and being human, is speak up and say something. Give yourself a voice, understand that you are normal, be confident enough to share that with somebody, because all you have to do is say something to one person. So that would be my advice that I would give as a mother, as a friend, as a sister, as a daughter, as a wife, as a homegirl, to a lot of people that's going to be the message that I would give, because you keep pressing me on that question. So I want to make sure that I'm just really, really clear, because we all look to people for guidance and when we're here to name Dr Montgomery, we think, okay, she's a superhero, she's a this, she's a that, she's got to be a mental health provider that can help us. And I wish, I wish, I wish but I promise you I can point you to the right direction of some resources and people who can.

Tak Williams:

And that's that's exactly what I wanted to hear. A lot of people think that they have nowhere to turn to. They, they, they wind up on their own island of sorts, and people are sitting right in front of them and they just don't see it. And that's why I know from first hand experience that not necessarily mental disorders, because I haven't been diagnosed that I'm aware of of any but definitely mental health. I've experienced it. I mean just going through different things in life and I was fortunate enough to have somebody close by, somebody I could speak to and wasn't even aware of it, but maybe their empathy, maybe them lending the ear, maybe them pointing me in a direction, I mean that it just helped out. It really did. So I would have totally agreed that having someone speaking to someone, saying something, is like a first great step, especially if you think you have no one, no where to go, nobody to call, no resources, no tools. So I want to say thank you for that.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

You are absolutely welcome. It was a delight having you on today's episode. The potential impact of genetics on developing strategies for mental health resilience is phenomenal. Okay, imagine you have a backpack full of tools and you want to use these tools to help you stay strong and happy. We, as scientists, want to fill that backpack with even better tools based on what we learn about our genes. This knowledge can help us create smart strategies, like special exercises for our mind to boost our ability to handle challenges and stay resilient. In the simplest of terms, we, as scientists, are like explorers, learning about the magical codes inside us, those genetic markers, to understand how our minds work and find ways to make them even stronger and happier. Genetics has the potential to shape innovative strategies for enhancing mental resilience. As we deepen our understanding of genetic basis of resilience, it opens avenues for developing interventions that target specific genetic factors. This might involve interventions such as gene therapies like CRISPR that we talked about, or a number of others, pharmacogenomics and personalized mental health plans based on your genetics. The impact lies in empowering individuals with tailored tools and strategies to bolster or boost their mental resilience, based on your unique genetic makeup Essence. The journey from genetic markers to mental resilience involves a nuanced exploration of molecular foundations of the mind, offering unprecedented opportunities for advancement in mental health research and care.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

As we conclude this thought-provoking episode of demystifying DNA, decoding minds, unraveling genetics of mental health, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude for you joining us on this captivating exploration. Together we've delved into the intricate way genetics influence our mental well-being and share light on groundbreaking research that paves the way for a better understanding of mental health. Toc and I are so grateful for your company. Remember, our genes hold valuable insights into the complexities of the mind. I hope today's episode has not only expanded your knowledge, but also sparked your curiosity to further explore the fascinating intersection of genetics and mental health.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery:

As the field of genetic research continues to evolve, we myself P23, will be here every step of the way, uncovering new discoveries and sharing insights that empower us to lead healthier lives. For more information on your genetics and mental health, visit us at www. p23health. com and schedule some time for discussion with us. While we are not mental health professionals, we are able to provide testing, guidance and resources in this fascinating field. Stay curious, stay engaged and join us again on demystifying DNA as we embark on our next adventure into the captivating world of genetics. Remember together we can unlock the secrets hidden within our DNA. Keep exploring, keep learning, and until next time.

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