Find out how your brain chemistry is wired
You lie awake with your mind racing. Stress hits you harder than it seems to hit other people. Motivation comes and goes, and on some days your mood drops for no reason you can name.
How you feel isn’t only about what’s happening in your life. It also depends on how you make, use and clear your brain chemicals: serotonin for contentment, dopamine for drive, GABA for calm and melatonin for sleep. Your genes set the speed of each of those steps.
The Lifecode Gx nervous system test is a simple at-home cheek swab. It shows where your brain chemistry is more vulnerable, so we can support it with the right nutrients, food and daily habits.
Could your nervous system genes be part of your picture?
This panel may be worth considering if you recognise several of these:
- Anxiety, overthinking or feeling constantly on edge
- Low mood or a lack of motivation and joy
- Trouble falling or staying asleep
- Poor focus or a short attention span
- Feeling wired after caffeine or crashing after stress
- Strong cravings for sugar, alcohol or stimulants
- Irritability or a short fuse
- Gut symptoms that get worse when you’re stressed
That last one matters to me. So many of my gut clients live in fight-or-flight, and that state switches off digestion. Understanding how your nervous system is wired often explains why the gut never fully settled, however clean the diet.
What the Lifecode Gx nervous system test looks at
The report looks at each of your main brain chemical systems, from how you build them to how you clear them.
| Area | Genes looked at | Why it matters for you |
|---|---|---|
| Serotonin (contentment) | ALDH2, HTR1A, HTR2A, MAOA, MTHFR, SLC18A1, TPH1, TPH2, VDR | How you make and respond to serotonin, linked to mood, appetite and gut movement |
| Melatonin (sleep) | ASMT, MTNR1B | How you make melatonin and respond to it at night |
| Dopamine (motivation) | ALDH2, COMT, DRD2, MAOA, MAOB, MTHFR, OPRM1, SLC6A3, TH, VDR | Drive, reward and focus, and your pull towards stimulants |
| Adrenaline (fight or flight) | ADRB2, COMT, DBH, MAOA, PNMT, SLC6A2, SLC18A1 | How strongly you react to stress and how quickly you come back down |
| GABA (calm) | ALPL, GAD1, GAD2, GABRA2 | Your ability to switch off and relax |
| Kynurenine pathway | FKBP5, IFNG, TNF | How inflammation and stress divert resources away from serotonin |
| Endocannabinoids | CNR1, FAAH, TRPV1 | Your natural calming and pain-relief system |
Each gene comes with the nutrients it relies on, such as B6, magnesium, zinc and vitamin D, so your plan is specific to how you are wired.
How it works
- Book a strategy call so we can check this is the right test for you and choose your panels.
- Your kit arrives at home. It’s a simple cheek swab, with no blood and no needles.
- Post it back to the Lifecode Gx lab.
- I analyse your report alongside your symptoms, history and any recent blood tests.
- We meet online to go through your results, and you leave with a clear plan and a recording of the session.
Nervous System pairs well with the DNA Methylation panel, which drives the making and clearing of brain chemicals, and with Histamine, as histamine also acts as a brain chemical that can disrupt sleep and calm.
Pricing depends on which panels you choose and how your programme is set up, so we’ll decide together on your strategy call.
Other DNA panels: DNA Methylation · Histamine · Hormones · Detoxification · Metabolics · Nutrient Core. See all DNA testing options.
Nervous system DNA test FAQs
Can a DNA test diagnose anxiety or depression?
No. It is not a diagnostic test. It shows how your brain chemistry pathways are likely to work, which helps us choose the right nutritional and lifestyle support alongside any care you already have.
Can I do this test if I take antidepressants?
Yes. Medication doesn’t affect your DNA result. Please let me know what you take so your plan works safely alongside it, and never stop medication without speaking to your doctor.
Why does caffeine affect me so much?
Several genes in this panel, especially COMT and those in the adrenaline pathway, control how quickly you clear stimulating brain chemicals. Slow clearers often feel caffeine and stress far more strongly.
How long do results take?
Results take 3 to 4 weeks from when the lab receives your sample. Once your report is in, we book your results consultation.
Can I do the test from outside the UK?
Yes. I work with clients internationally and all consultations are online. Get in touch and I’ll confirm kit delivery to your country.
Do I need to stop medication or supplements before the test?
No. Your DNA doesn’t change, so medication, diet and supplements won’t affect the result.
Does my DNA decide my health?
No. Your genes show where you’re more vulnerable. Diet, gut health, stress, sleep and targeted nutrients decide how those genes actually behave, which is exactly what we work on together.
