scholarly journals Are there anxious genes?

2002 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 251-260
Keyword(s):  
Panic Disorder ◽  
Chromosomal Region ◽  
Association Studies ◽  
Molecular Genetic ◽  
Great Promise ◽  
Genetic Studies ◽  
Complex Disorders ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Genetic Technologies ◽  
Animal Models Of Anxiety

Anxiety comprises many clinical descriptions and phenotypes. A genetic predisposition to anxiety is undoubted; however, the nature and extent of that contribution is still unclear. Methods for the genetic analysis of such complex disorders is briefly reviewed, followed by a discussion of the comorbidity of anxiety with other psychiatric disorders and their possible common genetic etiology. Extensive genetic studies of the serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) transporter (5-HTT) gene have revealed how variation in gene expression can be correlated with anxiety phenotypes. Complete genome-wide linkage scans for panic disorder (PD) susceptibility genes have suggested a locus on chromosome arm 7p, and association studies have highlighted many candidate genes. A highly significant association between phobias, panic disorder, and a duplication at chromosomal region 15q24-26 is one of the most exciting findings to date. Emerging molecular genetic technologies and the use of increasingly sophisticated animal models of anxiety provide great promise for the future of the field.

scholarly journals Breed-Predispositions to Cancer in Pedigree Dogs

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane M. Dobson
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Susceptibility ◽  
Association Studies ◽  
Molecular Genetic ◽  
Genome Wide Association ◽  
Genome Wide Association Studies ◽  
Complex Disorders ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Purebred Dogs ◽  
Limited Genetic Diversity

Cancer is a common problem in dogs and although all breeds of dog and crossbred dogs may be affected, it is notable that some breeds of pedigree dogs appear to be at increased risk of certain types of cancer suggesting underlying genetic predisposition to cancer susceptibility. Although the aetiology of most cancers is likely to be multifactorial, the limited genetic diversity seen in purebred dogs facilitates genetic linkage or association studies on relatively small populations as compared to humans, and by using newly developed resources, genome-wide association studies in dog breeds are proving to be a powerful tool for unravelling complex disorders. This paper will review the literature on canine breed susceptibility to histiocytic sarcoma, osteosarcoma, haemangiosarcoma, mast cell tumours, lymphoma, melanoma, and mammary tumours including the recent advances in knowledge through molecular genetic, cytogenetic, and genome wide association studies.

Genetics of Pediatric Irritability

2019 ◽  
pp. 149-170
Author(s):  
Meridith L. Eastman ◽  
Ashlee A. Moore ◽  
Roxann Roberson-Nay
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Candidate Genes ◽  
Association Studies ◽  
Molecular Genetic ◽  
Human Studies ◽  
Genome Wide Association Studies ◽  
Genetic Studies ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Literature Searches ◽  
Selection Of

This chapter provides an overview of behavioral and molecular genetics of pediatric irritability. Literature searches using PubMed and PsycInfo databases yielded 37 relevant animal and human studies on irritability. Studies of rodent and primate models initially suggested a genetic etiology for the trait and influenced selection of candidate genes for study in human studies. Behavioral genetic studies of irritability suggest that pediatric irritability is likely influenced by additive genetic and nonshared unique environmental factors, with little to no influence of dominant genetic or shared family environmental factors. Molecular genetic studies have been largely limited to candidate genes with a few emerging genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Results from the candidate gene literature on irritability are inconclusive, and GWAS in clinical populations has yielded limited findings. Future genetic studies of irritability would benefit from the use of appropriate phenotypic measures, adequate sample sizes, and multimethod and longitudinal approaches.

scholarly journals Genetics in schizophrenia: where are we and what next?

2010 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 289-303
Keyword(s):  
Copy Number ◽  
Association Studies ◽  
Molecular Genetic ◽  
Copy Number Variations ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Genome Wide Association Studies ◽  
Genetic Studies ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Number Variation

Understanding the genetic basis of schizophrenia continues to be major challenge. The research done during the last two decades has provided several candidate genes which unfortunately have not been consistently replicated across or within a population. The recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and copy number variation (CNV) studies have provided important evidence suggesting a role of both common and rare large CNVs in schizophrenia genesis. The burden of rare copy number variations appears to be increased in schizophrenia patients. A consistent observation among the GWAS studies is the association with schizophrenia of genetic markers in the major histocompatibility complex (6p22.1)-containing genes including NOTCH4 and histone protein loci. Molecular genetic studies are also demonstrating that there is more overlap between the susceptibility genes for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder than previously suspected. In this review we summarize the major findings of the past decade and suggest areas of future research.

scholarly journals Eating Disorders: From Twin Studies to Candidate Genes and Beyond

2005 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 467-482 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margarita C. T. Slof-Op ‘t Landt ◽  
Eric F. van Furth ◽  
Ingrid Meulenbelt ◽  
P. Eline Slagboom ◽  
Meike Bartels ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Eating Disorders ◽  
Candidate Genes ◽  
Genetic Association ◽  
Association Studies ◽  
Molecular Genetic ◽  
Twin Studies ◽  
Genetic Association Studies ◽  
Genetic Determinants ◽  
Genetic Studies ◽  
Genome Wide

AbstractSubstantial effort has been put into the exploration of the biological background of eating disorders, through family, twin and molecular genetic studies. Family studies have shown that anorexia (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) are strongly familial, and that familial etiologic factors appear to be shared by both disorders. Twin studies often focus on broader phenotypes or subthreshold eating disorders. These studies consistently yielded moderate to substantial heritabilities. In addition, there has been a proliferation of molecular genetic studies that focused on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) AN and BN. Seven linkage regions have been identified in genome-wide screens. Many genetic association studies have been performed, but no consistent association between a candidate gene and AN or BN has been reported. Larger genetic association studies and collaborations are needed to examine the involvement of several candidate genes and biological pathways in eating disorders. In addition, twin studies should be designed to assist the molecular work by further exploring genetic determinants of endophenotypes, evaluating the magnitude of contribution to liability of measured genotypes as well as environmental risk factors related to eating disorders. In this manner twin and molecular studies can move the field forward in a mutually informative way.

scholarly journals Insights into Dyslexia Genetics Research from the Last Two Decades

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 27
Author(s):  
Florina Erbeli ◽  
Marianne Rice ◽  
Silvia Paracchini
Keyword(s):  
Language Disorder ◽  
Association Studies ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Molecular Genetic ◽  
Genetic Research ◽  
Twin Studies ◽  
Genome Wide Association Studies ◽  
Genetics Research ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Genetic Risks

Dyslexia, a specific reading disability, is a common (up to 10% of children) and highly heritable (~70%) neurodevelopmental disorder. Behavioral and molecular genetic approaches are aimed towards dissecting its significant genetic component. In the proposed review, we will summarize advances in twin and molecular genetic research from the past 20 years. First, we will briefly outline the clinical and educational presentation and epidemiology of dyslexia. Next, we will summarize results from twin studies, followed by molecular genetic research (e.g., genome-wide association studies (GWASs)). In particular, we will highlight converging key insights from genetic research. (1) Dyslexia is a highly polygenic neurodevelopmental disorder with a complex genetic architecture. (2) Dyslexia categories share a large proportion of genetics with continuously distributed measures of reading skills, with shared genetic risks also seen across development. (3) Dyslexia genetic risks are shared with those implicated in many other neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., developmental language disorder and dyscalculia). Finally, we will discuss the implications and future directions. As the diversity of genetic studies continues to increase through international collaborate efforts, we will highlight the challenges in advances of genetics discoveries in this field.

scholarly journals Evolution of strong reproductive isolation in plants: broad-scale patterns and lessons from a perennial model group

2020 ◽  
Vol 375 (1806) ◽  
pp. 20190544 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huiying Shang ◽  
Jaqueline Hess ◽  
Melinda Pickup ◽  
David L. Field ◽  
Pär K. Ingvarsson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Isolation ◽  
Association Studies ◽  
Great Promise ◽  
Genome Wide Association Studies ◽  
Model Group ◽  
Recombination Rates ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Theoretical Predictions ◽  
Tree Topologies ◽  
Exemplary Model

Many recent studies have addressed the mechanisms operating during the early stages of speciation, but surprisingly few studies have tested theoretical predictions on the evolution of strong reproductive isolation (RI). To help address this gap, we first undertook a quantitative review of the hybrid zone literature for flowering plants in relation to reproductive barriers. Then, using Populus as an exemplary model group, we analysed genome-wide variation for phylogenetic tree topologies in both early- and late-stage speciation taxa to determine how these patterns may be related to the genomic architecture of RI. Our plant literature survey revealed variation in barrier complexity and an association between barrier number and introgressive gene flow. Focusing on Populus, our genome-wide analysis of tree topologies in speciating poplar taxa points to unusually complex genomic architectures of RI, consistent with earlier genome-wide association studies. These architectures appear to facilitate the ‘escape’ of introgressed genome segments from polygenic barriers even with strong RI, thus affecting their relationships with recombination rates. Placed within the context of the broader literature, our data illustrate how phylogenomic approaches hold great promise for addressing the evolution and temporary breakdown of RI during late stages of speciation. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Towards the completion of speciation: the evolution of reproductive isolation beyond the first barriers'.

scholarly journals Molecular Variants in Human Trace Amine-Associated Receptors and Their Implications in Mental and Metabolic Disorders

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 239-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grazia Rutigliano ◽  
Riccardo Zucchi
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Variants ◽  
Affective Disorders ◽  
Metabolic Disorders ◽  
Association Studies ◽  
Single Gene ◽  
Genome Wide Association Studies ◽  
Complex Disorders ◽  
Linkage Analyses ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Trace Amine

Abstract We provide a comprehensive review of the available evidence on the pathophysiological implications of genetic variants in the human trace amine-associated receptor (TAAR) superfamily. Genes coding for trace amine-associated receptors (taars) represent a multigene family of G-protein-coupled receptors, clustered to a small genomic region of 108 kb located in chromosome 6q23, which has been consistently identified by linkage analyses as a susceptibility locus for schizophrenia and affective disorders. Most TAARs are expressed in brain areas involved in emotions, reward and cognition. TAARs are activated by endogenous trace amines and thyronamines, and evidence for a modulatory action on other monaminergic systems has been reported. Therefore, linkage analyses were followed by fine mapping association studies in schizophrenia and affective disorders. However, none of these reports has received sufficient universal replication, so their status remains uncertain. Single nucleotide polymorphisms in taars have emerged as susceptibility loci from genome-wide association studies investigating migraine and brain development, but none of the detected variants reached the threshold for genome-wide significance. In the last decade, technological advances enabled single-gene or whole-exome sequencing, thus allowing the detection of rare genetic variants, which may have a greater impact on the risk of complex disorders. Using these approaches, several taars (especially taar1) variants have been detected in patients with mental and metabolic disorders, and in some cases, defective receptor function has been demonstrated in vitro. Finally, with the use of transcriptomic and peptidomic techniques, dysregulations of TAARs (especially TAAR6) have been identified in brain disorders characterized by cognitive impairment.

scholarly journals Genome-wide association studies: a powerful tool for neurogenomics

2010 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. E2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew C. Cowperthwaite ◽  
Deepankar Mohanty ◽  
Mark G. Burnett
Keyword(s):  
Neurological Diseases ◽  
Association Studies ◽  
Genome Wide Association ◽  
Great Promise ◽  
Genome Wide Association Studies ◽  
Entire Genome ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
New Generation ◽  
Theoretical Issues ◽  
Gwa Studies

As their power and utility increase, genome-wide association (GWA) studies are poised to become an important element of the neurosurgeon's toolkit for diagnosing and treating disease. In this paper, the authors review recent findings and discuss issues associated with gathering and analyzing GWA data for the study of neurological diseases and disorders, including those of neurosurgical importance. Their goal is to provide neurosurgeons and other clinicians with a better understanding of the practical and theoretical issues associated with this line of research. A modern GWA study involves testing hundreds of thousands of genetic markers across an entire genome, often in thousands of individuals, for any significant association with a particular disease. The number of markers assayed in a study presents several practical and theoretical issues that must be considered when planning the study. Genome-wide association studies show great promise in our understanding of the genes underlying common neurological diseases and disorders, as well as in leading to a new generation of genetic tests for clinicians.

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