A whole genome association study of unipolar depression
Lead Research Organisation:
King's College London
Department Name: Unlisted
Abstract
Depression is a very common disorder and is a major public health problem in the UK and throughout the world. There is good evidence from studies looking at families and twins that there is a substantial genetic contribution to depression, particularly recurrent disorder. Almost certainly the genetic component of depression results from many genes of small effect and there is also a complicated interplay with environmental factors such as distressing events. As yet we know little about which genes are involved in depression and the study aims to find at least to some of them. We will utilise a new technology that enables a search throughout the genome using approximately half a million markers. Finding genes involved in depression has great potential benefits for clinical practice, first in better understanding the biology of depression and thereafter in discovering better, safer medications.
Technical Summary
We will perform a two stage whole genome scan using the new Affymetrix 500K chip with a DNA pooling on pools stratified by sex.A subset will also be stratifed by presence or absence of adversity. SNPs identified by pooling experiments in both (DeCC and GENESiS) samples will be followed up by individual genotyping.
The samples that will be used have both been funded by previous MRC grants:
1. the Depression case-control ( DeCC)study consisting of over 1500 cases of recurrent clinical depressive disorder and 1500 controls screened for absence of psychiatric illness.
2. subjects from the population based GENESiS study who fall within the top 10% (N. = 570) and the bottom 10% (N. = 595) on a composite index designed to detect depressive and anxiety symptoms.
The samples that will be used have both been funded by previous MRC grants:
1. the Depression case-control ( DeCC)study consisting of over 1500 cases of recurrent clinical depressive disorder and 1500 controls screened for absence of psychiatric illness.
2. subjects from the population based GENESiS study who fall within the top 10% (N. = 570) and the bottom 10% (N. = 595) on a composite index designed to detect depressive and anxiety symptoms.
Publications
Cohen-Woods S
(2009)
From age correction to genome-wide association.
in Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica
Schosser A
(2011)
A follow-up case-control association study of tractable (druggable) genes in recurrent major depression
in American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics
Green EK
(2009)
P2RX7: A bipolar and unipolar disorder candidate susceptibility gene?
in American journal of medical genetics. Part B, Neuropsychiatric genetics : the official publication of the International Society of Psychiatric Genetics
Gaysina D
(2008)
No association with the 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene and major depressive disorder: results of the depression case control (DeCC) study and a meta-analysis.
in American journal of medical genetics. Part B, Neuropsychiatric genetics : the official publication of the International Society of Psychiatric Genetics
Schosser A
(2010)
NRG1 gene in recurrent major depression: no association in a large-scale case-control association study.
in American journal of medical genetics. Part B, Neuropsychiatric genetics : the official publication of the International Society of Psychiatric Genetics
Schosser A
(2010)
Utility of the pooling approach as applied to whole genome association scans with high-density Affymetrix microarrays.
in BMC research notes
Cohen-Woods S
(2009)
Depression Case Control (DeCC) Study fails to support involvement of the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor M2 (CHRM2) gene in recurrent major depressive disorder.
in Human molecular genetics
Sullivan PF
(2009)
Genome-wide association for major depressive disorder: a possible role for the presynaptic protein piccolo.
in Molecular psychiatry
Schosser A
(2010)
Association of DISC1 and TSNAX genes and affective disorders in the depression case-control (DeCC) and bipolar affective case-control (BACCS) studies.
in Molecular psychiatry
Roiser J
(2009)
The effect of positive mood induction on emotional processing in euthymic individuals with bipolar disorder and controls.
in Psychological medicine
| Description | A Genome association study of Unipolar depression and Initial exploration of functional Allelic Variation |
| Amount | £1,168,363 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | G0701420 |
| Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | |
| Description | A genome wide association study of unipolar depression |
| Amount | £1,178,240 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | G0701420 |
| Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2008 |
| End | 01/2010 |
| Description | Karen Ashwood Student Maintenance Grant |
| Amount | £65,195 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | |
| Title | Opcrit+ |
| Description | Computerised psychiatric diagnostic system |
| Type Of Material | Physiological assessment or outcome measure |
| Year Produced | 2009 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Incorporated in South London & Maudsley NHS Trust's electronic medical records. |
| Description | Identical twins discordant for autism: epigenetic (DNA methylation) biomarkers of nonshared environmental influences |
| Organisation | Autistica |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | This grant will support the first epigenetic study of identical (monozygotic, MZ) twins discordant for the components of autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD-discordant MZ twins will be selected from the PI's Twins Early Development Study (TEDS). DNA extracted from blood will assessed using NimbleGen NimbleChip Arrays containing probes spanning the promoter regions of all known genes in the genome. The goal is to identify epigenetic factors that make MZ twins discordant for ASD, that differ |
| Impact | This collaborative multidisciplinary project is a good example of the added value of the Centre because few institutions would have the expertise in epigenetics (Jon Mill), quantitative genetics (Robert Plomin), molecular genetics (Leo Schalkwyk), ASD (Angelica Ronald), and statistical genetics and microarray analysis (Tom Price). This research also represents a major step in the Centre's goal to create a biological foundation for environmental research. |
| Start Year | 2008 |
| Description | Gresham College Lecture, London |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A large audience attended a lecture entitled "Is it all in the genes?" There were questions and discussion after the talk. Audience members registered interest in the study of the interplay of genes with environmental effects, and in research findings on the role of genes in response to treatment of mental disorders. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009 |