Genome-Wide Association Studies of comprehensive cognitive function in Schizophrenia

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K19726
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Psychiatric science
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: KUDO NORIKO 大阪大学, 連合小児発達学研究科, 特任研究員 (30751151)
• Research Collaborator: HASHIMOTO Ryota 大阪大学, 大学院連合小児発達学研究科・医学系研究科, 准教授 (10370983)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 統合失調症 / ＧＷＡＳ / 認知機能障害 / 分子遺伝機構

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Cognitive impairments are a core feature in schizophrenia. These deficits could serve as effective tools for understanding the genetic architecture of schizophrenia. This study investigated whether genetic variants associated with cognitive impairments aggregate in functional gene networks related to the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of a range of cognitive phenotypes relevant to schizophrenia were performed in 400 healthy subjects. We attempted to replicate the GWAS data using 250 patients with schizophrenia and performed a meta-analysis of the GWAS finding and the replicated results. Gene-network analysis for genes in close proximity to the replicated variants was also performed. We found that genetic variants related to cognitive trait impairment in schizophrenia are involved in the N-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate network.

Free Research Field

精神神経科学