The emerging molecular architecture of schizophrenia, polygenic risk scores and the clinical implications for GxE research

Iyegbe, C., Campbell, D. , Butler, A., Ajnakina, O. and Sham, P. (2014) The emerging molecular architecture of schizophrenia, polygenic risk scores and the clinical implications for GxE research. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 49(2), pp. 169-182. (doi: 10.1007/s00127-014-0823-2) (PMID:24435092)

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Abstract

Schizophrenia is a devastating mental disorder. The level of risk in the general population is sustained by the persistence of social, environmental and biological factors, as well as their interactions. Socio-environmental risk factors for schizophrenia are well established and robust. The same can belatedly be said of genetic risk factors for the disorder. Recent progress in schizophrenia genetics is primarily fuelled by genome-wide association, which is able to leverage substantial proportions of additional explained variance previously classified as ‘missing’. Here, we provide an outline of the emerging genetic landscape of schizophrenia and demonstrate how this knowledge can be turned into a simple empirical measure of genetic risk, known as a polygenic risk score. We highlight the statistical framework used to assess the clinical potential of the new score and finally, draw relevance to and discuss the clinical implications for the study of gene–environment interaction.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Campbell, Dr Desmond
Authors: Iyegbe, C., Campbell, D., Butler, A., Ajnakina, O., and Sham, P.
College/School:College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Health
Journal Name:Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
ISSN:0933-7954
ISSN (Online):1433-9285
Published Online:17 January 2014

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