Analysis abstract
Nature Genetics 40, 827 - 834 (2008)
Published online: 26 June 2008 | doi:10.1038/ng.171
Systematic meta-analyses and field synopsis of genetic association studies in schizophrenia: the SzGene database
Nicole C Allen1, Sachin Bagade1, Matthew B McQueen2, John P A Ioannidis3,4,5, Fotini K Kavvoura3, Muin J Khoury6, Rudolph E Tanzi1 & Lars Bertram1
Abstract
In an effort to pinpoint potential genetic risk factors for schizophrenia, research groups worldwide have published over 1,000 genetic association studies with largely inconsistent results. To facilitate the interpretation of these findings, we have created a regularly updated online database of all published genetic association studies for schizophrenia ('SzGene'). For all polymorphisms having genotype data available in at least four independent case-control samples, we systematically carried out random-effects meta-analyses using allelic contrasts. Across 118 meta-analyses, a total of 24 genetic variants in 16 different genes (APOE, COMT, DAO, DRD1, DRD2, DRD4, DTNBP1, GABRB2, GRIN2B, HP, IL1B, MTHFR, PLXNA2, SLC6A4, TP53 and TPH1) showed nominally significant effects with average summary odds ratios of 
1.23. Seven of these variants had not been previously meta-analyzed. According to recently proposed criteria for the assessment of cumulative evidence in genetic association studies, four of the significant results can be characterized as showing 'strong' epidemiological credibility. Our project represents the first comprehensive online resource for systematically synthesized and graded evidence of genetic association studies in schizophrenia. As such, it could serve as a model for field synopses of genetic associations in other common and genetically complex disorders.
- Genetics and Aging Research Unit, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease (MIND), Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129, USA.
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA.
- Clinical and Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, University of Ioannina School of Medicine, Ioannina 45110, Greece.
- Biomedical Research Institute, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, Ioannina 45110, Greece.
- Department of Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, USA.
- National Office of Public Health Genomics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, USA.
Correspondence to: Lars Bertram1 e-mail: bertram@helix.mgh.harvard.edu
MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS
These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated.
RESEARCH
Case?control association study of 59 candidate genes reveals the DRD2 SNP rs6277 (C957T) as the only susceptibility factor for schizophrenia in the Bulgarian populationJournal of Human Genetics Original Article
A primate-specific, brain isoform of KCNH2 affects cortical physiology, cognition, neuronal repolarization and risk of schizophreniaNature Medicine Article (01 May 2009)
See all 28 matches for Research
