Abstract

The etiology of schizophrenia, a common devastating mental illness, is unknown. There is a significant genetic predisposition for schizophrenia, therefore, identification of genes predisposing to this disease would aid in the identification of at-risk individuals, and may lead to a rational, versus empirical, method of treatment. Using case-control studies, variation at two loci (HLA DQB1 and the dopamine D3 receptor, DRD3), have been associated previously with susceptibility to schizophrenia. In collaboration with researchers in New Delhi, the investigators will test the hypothesis that these two loci affect susceptibility to schizophrenia. First, they will recruit 100 Indian families having two or more siblings with schizophrenia, then they will genotype DNA samples from these family members for polymorphisms at the two loci, and finally, they will perform statistical genetic analyses.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Fogarty International Center (FIC)
Type
Small Research Grants (R03)
Project #
5R03TW000730-03
Application #
6031046
Study Section
International and Cooperative Projects 1 Study Section (ICP)
Program Officer
Michels, Kathleen M
Project Start
1997-09-30
Project End
2001-06-30
Budget Start
1999-07-01
Budget End
2001-06-30
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
1999
Total Cost
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
University of Pittsburgh
Department
Psychiatry
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
053785812
City
Pittsburgh
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
15213

  Publications

Thomas, Pramod; Chandra, Abha; Bhatia, Triptish et al. (2011) Clinical and genetic correlates of severity in schizophrenia in India: an ordinal logistic regression approach. Psychiatry Res 189:321-3
Thomas, Pramod; Srivastava, Vibhuti; Singh, Anuradha et al. (2008) Correlates of response to Olanzapine in a North Indian Schizophrenia sample. Psychiatry Res 161:275-83
Prasad, S; Chowdari, K V; Wood, J et al. (2004) Association analysis of NOTCH 4 polymorphisms with schizophrenia among two independent family based samples. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 131B:6-9
Bhatia, T; Franzos, M A; Wood, J A et al. (2004) Gender and procreation among patients with schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 68:387-94
Deshpande, Smita N; Bhatia, Triptish; Wood, Joel et al. (2004) Evaluation of familial influences on the course and severity of schizophrenia among US and Indian cases. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 39:369-74
Chowdari, K V; Brandstaetter, B; Semwal, P et al. (2001) Association studies of cytosolic phospholipase A2 polymorphisms and schizophrenia among two independent family-based samples. Psychiatr Genet 11:207-12
Semwal, P; Prasad, S; Bhatia, T et al. (2001) Family-based association studies of monoaminergic gene polymorphisms among North Indians with schizophrenia. Mol Psychiatry 6:220-4