Genome-wide association study of seasonal affective disorder.

Family and twin studies have shown a genetic component to seasonal affective disorder (SAD). A number of candidate gene studies have examined the role of variations within biologically relevant genes in SAD susceptibility, but few genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have been performed to date. The authors aimed to identify genetic risk variants for SAD through GWAS.

Adaptation of the targeted capture Methyl-Seq platform for the mouse genome identifies novel tissue-specific DNA methylation patterns of genes involved in neurodevelopment.

Methyl-Seq was recently developed as a targeted approach to assess DNA methylation (DNAm) at a genome-wide level in human. We adapted it for mouse and sought to examine DNAm differences across liver and 2 brain regions: cortex and hippocampus. A custom hybridization array was designed to isolate 99 Mb of CpG islands, shores, shelves, and regulatory elements in the mouse genome.

Vascular mortality in participants of a bipolar genomics study.

Background: In prior work, we identified a relationship between symptom burden and vascular outcomes in bipolar disorder.

Objective: We sought to replicate these findings using a readily accessible measure of mood disorder chronicity and vascular mortality.

Methods: We conducted a mortality assessment using the National Death Index for 1716 participants with bipolar I disorder from the National Institute of Mental Health Genetics Initiative Bipolar Disorder Consortium.

Converging Evidence for Epistasis between ANK3 and Potassium Channel Gene KCNQ2 in Bipolar Disorder.

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have implicated ANK3 as a susceptibility gene for bipolar disorder (BP). We examined whether epistasis with ANK3 may contribute to the "missing heritability" in BP. We first identified via the STRING database 14 genes encoding proteins with prior biological evidence that they interact molecularly with ANK3.

Meta-analysis of genetic association studies on bipolar disorder.

Numerous candidate gene association studies of bipolar disorder (BP) have been carried out, but the results have been inconsistent. Individual studies are typically underpowered to detect associations with genes of small effect sizes. We conducted a meta-analysis of published candidate gene studies to evaluate the cumulative evidence.

Genome-wide linkage and follow-up association study of postpartum mood symptoms.

Objective: Family studies have suggested that postpartum mood symptoms might have a partly genetic etiology. The authors used a genome-wide linkage analysis to search for chromosomal regions that harbor genetic variants conferring susceptibility for such symptoms. The authors then fine-mapped their best linkage regions, assessing single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for genetic association with postpartum symptoms.