The importance of linage analysis in schizophrenia is universally acknowledged. Six large families at high risk for schizophrenia and two healthy families, consisting of a minimum of 50 members each, will be carefully interviewed for diagnostic determinations of DSM IIIR schizophrenia and for schizophrenia spectrum traits (which include traits subsumed under the DSM IIIR categories of schizotypal personality disorder, schizoid personality disorder, and paranoid personality disorder), and tested for eye movement dysfunctions (EMDs). Linkage between chromosomal markers and clinical schizophrenia will be investigated using RFLP techniques. Linkage analysis will be extended to include EMDs as well as schizophrenia, and the cosegregation of EMDs and the inferred schizophrenia gene will be investigated. In addition to conventional linkage analysis, the latent triat model, which regards schizophrenia as one phenotypic manifestation of a pleiotropic disorder, will be used to explore another solution to the linkage problem.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Method to Extend Research in Time (MERIT) Award (R37)
Project #
5R37MH044876-10
Application #
2674938
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (NSS)
Program Officer
Moldin, Steven Owen
Project Start
1989-08-01
Project End
2000-07-31
Budget Start
1998-09-01
Budget End
2000-07-31
Support Year
10
Fiscal Year
1998
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Harvard University
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
071723621
City
Cambridge
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02138
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Sirugo, G; Kidd, K K (1998) Repeat expansion-detection analysis of telomeric uninterrupted (TTAGGG)n arrays. Am J Hum Genet 63:648-51
Sirugo, G; Pakstis, A J; Kidd, K K et al. (1997) Detection of a large CTG/CAG trinucleotide repeat expansion in a Danish schizophrenia kindred. Am J Med Genet 74:546-8
Holzman, P S (1994) The role of psychological probes in genetic studies of schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 13:1-9
Matthysse, S; Parnas, J (1992) Extending the phenotype of schizophrenia: implications for linkage analysis. J Psychiatr Res 26:329-44