QBI Neuroscience Seminar: A genome-wide association study of schizophrenia in Southern India

Event Details

Date:

Wednesday, 18 November 2015 - Wednesday, 18 November 2015

Time:

12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Room:

QBI Level 7 Auditorium

UQ Location:

Queensland Brain Institute (St Lucia)

URL:

http://www.qbi.uq.edu.au/neuroscience-seminars

Event category(s):

Full Description:: Professor Bryan Mowry, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland

Title: A genome-wide association study of schizophrenia in Southern India

Abstract:
Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness characterised by delusional beliefs, hallucinations, disordered speech and deficits in cognitive, emotional and social behaviour. Current treatments have limited efficacy. Schizophrenia occurs in all cultures, has an average 0.8% lifetime prevalence, and causes an immense burden on families and communities worldwide. The schizophrenia phenotype is defined according to reliable international criteria, but is nonetheless heterogeneous and probably comprises a group of related disorders. Of the diverse aetiological clues, family history is the most compelling with genetic epidemiological studies having established high heritability (~0.8). This has driven the search for genetic variants contributing to disease, and recent years have seen great progress toward this goal. Genome-wide association studies of large numbers of samples, primarily of European ancestry have revealed many significantly associated variants. Other major world populations also warrant intensive study. We have been conducting a genetic study of schizophrenia in southern India and will present the latest GWAS findings with planned follow-up functional experiments. Studying the genetics of schizophrenia in such populations should facilitate progress in this field.