Stressful feelings evoked by 'eating noises' have genetic links to depression

Some people do not just dislike chewing noises – a condition called “misophonia” – they feel a surge of anger, panic, or disgust that can derail a meal, a class, or a workday.

Scientists are now tracing part of that reaction to patterns in our DNA, and the picture that emerges connects sound sensitivity to traits like worry and mood symptoms.

Misophonia is not about loudness. It is a decreased tolerance to certain pattern based sounds or cues, most often human made, that trigger strong emotional and physical responses.

These triggers can limit everyday life and reactions are out of proportion to the situation.

How to study misophonia

Researchers at the University of Amsterdam examined genetic and behavioral data to uncover what drives misophonia.

Led by psychiatrist Dirk J. A. Smit, the team analyzed DNA and survey results from more than 80,000 people who reported their emotional reactions to chewing sounds.

They used these responses to run a genome-wide association study, or GWAS, a method that scans the entire genome for common variations linked to specific traits.

The study used this approach to test whether the tendency to feel rage at eating noises might share genetic roots with other psychiatric and personality factors.

Misophonia and genetics

The analysis estimates that common genetic variants explain a meaningful slice of risk for this rage to chewing and that it shares DNA patterns with other conditions.

Using genetic correlation, the team found positive links with major depression and generalized anxiety, with correlation values between 0.12 and 0.22.

Two clusters of personality traits stood out. One cluster centered on guilt and neuroticism, and another involved irritability and sensitivity, with genetic correlations as high as 0.42 for a few traits.

There was no genetic overlap with ADHD or OCD, and the correlation with autism spectrum disorder was negative.

Several genetic clues hinted at possible biological links. One key DNA site lies close to a gene called TENM2, which helps the brain form and connect nerve cells.

The researchers also found hints involving three other genes, TMEM256, NEGR1, and TFB1M, one of which is active in the hippocampus, a brain region tied to memory and hearing function.

Why tinnitus shows up

The chewing related symptom also shared genes with tinnitus, the experience of sound without an external source. That link did not extend to hearing performance or hearing loss traits in this dataset.

Outside genetics, people with tinnitus report more depressive and anxiety symptoms than those without tinnitus. The overlap with misophonia seems to live more in the psychological sphere than in damaged hearing.

The trait profile that travels with misophonia looks more internal than external. People with higher genetic loading for the chewing rage symptom also scored up on worry linked traits, guilt, irritability, and related sensitivities.

That pattern fits clinical reports that many sufferers internalize distress, avoid triggers, and struggle with guilt after outbursts. It also hints that coping skills learned in anxiety care may carry over.

Global misophonia cases

Prevalence estimates vary with methods, but two large studies help frame expectations. In the United Kingdom, a prevalence study estimated that about 18 percent of adults experience misophonia at a level that causes significant burden.

In Germany, researchers found that misophonia symptoms often appear alongside other emotional or anxiety-related conditions, suggesting it may be more widespread than doctors once assumed. 

Many people report strong irritation or stress during everyday sounds like chewing or tapping but never seek medical help, so the true rate is likely undercounted. 

Differences in how studies define and measure the condition also make it hard to pin down exact numbers, but all point to misophonia being far from rare.

What it means for care

The lead author explained that the team also found genetic overlap between misophonia and post-traumatic stress disorder.

He noted that this connection points to shared biological pathways and suggests that treatments developed for trauma-related conditions might also help people with severe sound sensitivity.

That observation lines up with the anxiety linked trait clusters and points to therapies that target threat processing, avoidance, and arousal.

It also supports a practical view that many patients show a blend of sound sensitivity and mood symptoms that deserve coordinated care.

Misophonia and future care

The chewing rage question captures a common symptom, but it does not cover the full range of misophonia reactions.

The participants were mostly of European ancestry, which means the genetic picture needs to be tested in other populations.

Future studies can add clinical misophonia cases, expand to different emotional responses beyond anger, and search for more precise risk variants.

That work will show whether the same genes shape different trigger emotion profiles and guide targeted interventions.

The study is published in Frontiers in Neuroscience.

—–

Like what you read? Subscribe to our newsletter for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates. 

Check us out on EarthSnap, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

—–