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Associations between Polygenic Risk for Psychiatric Disorders and Substance Involvement
Caitlin E Carey1, Arpana Agrawal2, Kathleen K Bucholz2
1Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis St. Louis, MO, USA.
Frontiers in Genetics
|August 31, 2016
Summary
Common genetic factors contribute to psychiatric disorders and substance involvement comorbidity. This study found polygenic risk for major depressive disorder and schizophrenia associated with various substance use issues.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatric Genetics
- Addiction Research
- Comorbidity Studies
Background:
- Substantial comorbidity exists between psychiatric disorders and substance involvement.
- The contribution of common genetic factors to this comorbidity is understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between polygenic risk for psychiatric disorders and substance involvement.
- To determine if shared genetic factors contribute to the comorbidity of psychiatric disorders and substance use.
Main Methods:
- Utilized polygenic risk scores (PRS) for cross-disorder psychopathology (CROSS) in 2573 European-American participants.
- Tested PRS associations with a general liability factor for substance involvement (GENSUB) and specific substance use.
- Included attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (AUT), bipolar disorder (BIP), major depressive disorder (MDD), and schizophrenia (SCZ) in analyses.
Main Results:
- CROSS PRS explained 1.10% of the variance in GENSUB (p < 0.001).
- Significant associations found between MDD PRS and cannabis use/cocaine dependence.
- Schizophrenia PRS was associated with cannabis use and cocaine dependence.
Conclusions:
- Shared genetic variation contributes to the comorbidity of psychiatric and substance use disorders.
- Polygenic risk for specific psychiatric disorders is linked to substance involvement.
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