Publications by authors named "D Posthuma"
Recent advancements in Parkinson's disease (PD) drug development have been significantly driven by genetic research. Importantly, drugs supported by genetic evidence are more likely to be approved. While genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are a powerful tool to nominate genomic regions associated with certain traits or diseases, pinpointing the causal biologically relevant gene is often challenging.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Genetic influences account for a substantial proportion of individual differences in alcohol use behaviors (AUBs). However, multiple distinct sets of genes are linked to different AUBs, which may explain their dramatic variability in risk factors and manifestations. In this study, we explore whether intermediate neurobiological traits and alcohol-related cognitions mediate the relationship between polygenic scores (PGS) and multiple AUBs, with the aim to better understand processes captured by different genetic profiles.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The study investigates the genetic factors related to various alcohol use behaviors (AUBs) by analyzing large samples from the UK Biobank, recognizing the complexity and diversity of AUBs in its approach.
- Researchers identified four latent genetic factors tied to AUBs, including how people consume alcohol and their drinking preferences, suggesting distinct genetic associations for each factor.
- The findings emphasize the need for deep phenotyping and more sophisticated methods to better understand the genetics of AUBs, which remain poorly understood despite large sample sizes in previous genome-wide studies.
Article Synopsis
- * This study analyzed data from two Kenyan studies, identifying risk factors linked to NDDs; significant findings include complications during pregnancy and birth, with specific odds ratios indicating which factors pose the greatest risk.
- * Recognizing these risk factors, such as labour and birth complications, can help guide preventative measures and interventions for reducing the incidence of NDDs in affected populations.
Background: Gene-environment interaction (G × E) is likely an important influence shaping individual differences in alcohol misuse (AM), yet it has not been extensively studied in molecular genetic research. In this study, we use a series of genome-wide gene-environment interaction (GWEIS) and in silico annotation methods with the aim of improving gene identification and biological understanding of AM.
Methods: We carried out GWEIS for four AM phenotypes in the large UK Biobank sample (N = 360,314), with trauma exposure and socioeconomic status (SES) as moderators of the genetic effects.