Publications by authors named "J R Thorp"
Bipolar disorder is a leading contributor to the global burden of disease. Despite high heritability (60-80%), the majority of the underlying genetic determinants remain unknown. We analysed data from participants of European, East Asian, African American and Latino ancestries (n = 158,036 cases with bipolar disorder, 2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPervasive genetic overlap across human complex traits necessitates developing multivariate methods that can parse pleiotropic and trait-specific genetic signals. Here, we introduce Genomic Network Analysis (GNA), an analytic framework that applies the principles of network modelling to estimates of genetic overlap derived from genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics. The result is a genomic network that describes the conditionally independent genetic associations between traits that remain when controlling for shared signal with the broader network of traits.
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- Subcortical brain structures play a crucial role in various developmental and psychiatric disorders, and a study analyzed brain volumes in 74,898 individuals, identifying 254 genetic loci linked to these volumes, which accounted for up to 35% of variation.
- The research included exploring gene expression in specific neural cell types, focusing on genes involved in intracellular signaling and processes related to brain aging.
- The findings suggest that certain genetic variants not only influence brain volume but also have potential causal links to conditions like Parkinson’s disease and ADHD, highlighting the genetic basis for risks associated with neuropsychiatric disorders.
Article Synopsis
- * Integrating human genetic data into the drug selection process can improve the identification of suitable candidates, with genome-wide association studies revealing thousands of genetic risk factors linked to psychiatric disorders.
- * Focusing on shared genetic risk factors (pleiotropy) could lead to the discovery of new drug targets and more effective treatments by addressing common mechanisms across different psychiatric disorders instead of targeting each one separately.
Article Synopsis
- Subcortical brain structures play a crucial role in various disorders, and a study analyzed the genetic basis of brain volumes in nearly 75,000 individuals of European ancestry, revealing 254 loci linked to these volumes.
- The research identified significant gene expression in neural cells, relating to brain aging and signaling, and found that polygenic scores could predict brain volumes across different ancestries.
- The study highlights genetic connections between brain volumes and conditions like Parkinson's disease and ADHD, suggesting specific gene expression patterns could be involved in neuropsychiatric disorders.