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Updated: Aug 20, 2025

Targeted Next-generation Sequencing and Bioinformatics Pipeline to Evaluate Genetic Determinants of Constitutional Disease
Published on: April 4, 2018
Thirty novel sequence variants impacting human intracranial volume
Muhammad Sulaman Nawaz1,2, Gudmundur Einarsson1, Mariana Bustamante1
1deCODE genetics/Amgen Inc., Sturlugata 8, 102 Reykjavik, Iceland.
Genome-wide analysis identified 64 variants influencing intracranial volume, a heritable trait linked to brain function and neurological conditions. These findings shed light on genes affecting brain size and associated disorders like Parkinson's disease.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Neuroscience
- Human Biology
Background:
- Intracranial volume (ICV) is a heritable trait.
- ICV is associated with cognitive abilities and neurological disorders.
- Understanding genetic influences on ICV is crucial for neuroscience and medicine.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify genetic variants associated with intracranial volume.
- To explore the genetic correlation between ICV and other traits.
- To investigate the causal relationship between ICV and neurological conditions.
Main Methods:
- Genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analysis of ICV in 79,174 individuals.
- Analysis of coding variation, transcript, and protein levels to identify mediating genes.
- Mendelian randomization studies to assess causal relationships.
Main Results:
- Identified 64 sequence variants associated with ICV, explaining 5.0% of its variance.
- Discovered 12 genes, including GLI3 and CDK6, likely mediating ICV effects.
- Found genetic correlations between ICV and cognitive, neurological, and developmental traits.
- Observed differences in ICV between Parkinson's disease and ADHD cases and controls.
- Mendelian randomization suggested ICV variants influence Parkinson's disease and ADHD risk.
Conclusions:
- Genetic factors significantly influence intracranial volume.
- Specific genes and variants impact brain size and are linked to neurological disorders.
- ICV has complex genetic relationships with cognitive and clinical traits.
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