This project funds the expansion the Genomic Psychiatry Cohort (GPC) by ascertaining and enrolling 5,000 patients suffering from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and performing a genome-wide association study (GWAS) on 5,000 OCD patients and 5,000 already ascertained and genotyped OCD-free matched controls. This study is a critical step to achieving the necessary statistical power for discovery. We will more than double the total number of available world-wide participants for GWAS of OCD, and create the only large re-contactable cohort for OCD. The GPC is a large (n=33,000), USC-based, clinical cohort designed to be a major resource for large-scale genomic studies, studies focusing on RDoC and/or other alternate phenotype constructs, nested case- control/clinical studies, long-term disease course studies, and genomic variant-to-phenotype studies (Pato et al, 2013). Additionally, the GPC is Open Source in that the cohort can be accessed for additional collaborative studies by approved non-USC based investigators. The GPC is currently composed of patients with schizophrenia (n=10,000), patients with bipolar disorder (n=5,000), family members of these patients (n=3,000) and control participants with no history or family history of OCD, schizophrenia or bipolar disorder (n=15,000). We are able to re-contact more than 88% of the participants. The proposed GPC-OCD cohort and our proven track record of meeting, or exceeding, the sample collection goals for large-scale genetic studies positions us very well to make further progress in understanding the molecular basis of OCD by (i) the discovery of additional genetic risk factors (rare and common); and (ii) identifying a large enough group of specific genetic variations to study how they relate to neuropsychiatric phenotypes at all levels, including, but not limited to, the illnesses themselves.

Public Health Relevance

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by the presence of obsessions (thoughts) and/or compulsions (behaviors) that are distressing, time consuming and/or significantly impairing. With a lifetime prevalence of 1-3%, OCD is a leading global cause of non-fatal illness burden. Both genetic and environment factors influence the development of OCD, but inadequate sample sizes have limited the findings. Ascertainment and genetic analysis of a single large cohort of uniformly defined OCD cases and controls will provide an essential resource to the field for the identification of underlying causes of OCD.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01MH103657-04
Application #
9228400
Study Section
Behavioral Genetics and Epidemiology Study Section (BGES)
Program Officer
Arguello, Alexander
Project Start
2014-03-01
Project End
2019-01-31
Budget Start
2017-03-01
Budget End
2018-01-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2017
Total Cost
$667,321
Indirect Cost
$262,884
Name
University of Southern California
Department
Psychiatry
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
072933393
City
Los Angeles
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
90032