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Genetic study points to neurological mechanisms behind chronic cough
Last reviewed: 03.08.2025
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A new genetic study has identified neurological mechanisms as key drivers of chronic cough. The findings significantly advance our biological understanding of the condition, opening up potential avenues for new treatments.
Chronic cough is generally defined as a cough that lasts for more than eight weeks and affects around one in ten adults in the UK. In many cases, the exact cause cannot be determined and effective treatment options are currently limited.
Chronic cough can have a serious impact on quality of life, often causing fatigue, shortness of breath, sleep disturbances and emotional distress. For many, it becomes a debilitating condition that interferes with daily life and social interactions.
Now a team from the University of Leicester, together with researchers from the University of Copenhagen and Queen Mary University of London, have carried out the first study of its kind to examine the genetics of chronic cough.
Their results were published in the European Respiratory Journal.
The study involved almost 30,000 people with chronic cough, drawn from a variety of public health resources including the UK Biobank, EXCEED Study, Copenhagen Hospital Biobank, Genes & Health and the eMERGE Network.
In the largest and most diverse genetic study of chronic cough to date, scientists have identified genes linked to neural signaling and sensory pathways, suggesting a neurological basis for the condition.
These findings advance our understanding of cough reflex hypersensitivity as a nervous system-mediated process and open up opportunities for the development of new targeted therapies.
In addition, the study found common genetics between chronic cough and chronic pain, suggesting that they share common neurological mechanisms. This finding provides a promising basis for future research and may help develop effective treatment strategies for both conditions.
Dr Keiesha Cowley, from the University of Leicester's Genetic Epidemiology Group, who led the study, said:
"We are delighted to be publishing the first large-scale genetic study of chronic cough. Despite it being a common condition, its genetic basis has remained poorly understood until now.
Our study represents a significant step forward in understanding the biological mechanisms underlying this condition, and we hope that it will aid in the development of new drugs. We are extremely grateful to all the participants from the various studies who made this important work possible."
EXCEED Study Lead Researcher Dr Catherine John, from the University of Leicester, added:
“We are delighted that EXCEED has been able to contribute to this study, which provides the first genetic data on chronic cough with a view to developing future treatments.”
Dr Chiara Batini, who led the study at the University of Leicester, added:
“We are deeply grateful to all the participants and colleagues in this multidisciplinary study. The contribution of clinicians was invaluable as it helped to provide the right context for combining the different manifestations of chronic cough and increased the statistical power of our genetic analysis. The data provided by all partners allowed us to conduct the largest and most diverse study to date.”