Publications by authors named "Santiago Diaz-Torres"

Importance: Early detection of glaucoma is essential to timely monitoring and treatment, and primary open-angle glaucoma risk can be assessed by measuring intraocular pressure (IOP) or optic nerve head vertical cup-disc ratio (VCDR). Polygenic risk scores (PRSs) could provide a link between genetic effects estimated from genome-wide association studies (GWASs) and clinical applications to provide estimates of an individual's genetic risk by combining many identified variants into a score.

Objective: To construct IOP and VCDR PRSs with clinically relevant predictive power.

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  • * A multi-ethnic meta-analysis revealed 22 risk loci linked to NTG, with 17 of these not previously identified, including significant new associations with BMP4 and TBKBP1.
  • * Findings suggest there’s a genetic overlap in risk factors between NTG and HTG, but NTG shows a generally lower risk effect, pointing to the potential for immunomodulatory treatments as neuroprotective options for glaucoma.
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  • This study aimed to create and validate a polygenic risk score (PRS) for keratoconus to improve how well we can identify people at higher risk for the condition, which can lead to serious vision problems after procedures like LASIK.
  • Researchers used multi-trait analysis and data from large biobanks to build and assess the PRS models' accuracy in predicting keratoconus risk.
  • The results showed that the new PRS models significantly improved the prediction of keratoconus risk, suggesting they could be useful in clinical settings to identify individuals at risk and potentially prevent complications after LASIK surgery.
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Age-related cataracts is a highly prevalent eye disorder that results in the clouding of the crystalline lens and is one of the leading causes of visual impairment and blindness. The disease is influenced by multiple factors including genetics, prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation, and a history of diabetes. However, the extent to which each of these factors contributes to the development of cataracts remains unclear.

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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.
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  • 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.
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Background: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive technique to measure retinal layer thickness, providing insights into retinal ganglion cell integrity. Studies have shown reduced retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) and ganglion cell inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) thickness in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. However, it is unclear if there is a common genetic overlap between the macula and peripapillary estimates with PD and if the genetic risk of PD is associated with changes in ganglion cell integrity estimates in young adults.

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  • * The study utilized extensive genome-wide association studies (GWAS) revealing a significant genetic overlap between disorders such as depression, ADHD, and PTSD with COVID-19 infection and hospitalization, suggesting shared genetic regions affecting both mental health and immune response.
  • * Preliminary findings imply that genetic factors, particularly those related to immune system processes, may play a crucial role in the connection between psychiatric disorders and increased COVID-19 risk, highlighting potential new areas for treatment approaches.
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Purpose: This study evaluates the performance of a multitrait polygenic risk score (PRS) in an independent cohort to predict incident or progression of keratoconus.

Design: Prospective cross-sectional and cohort study METHODS: Setting: Single-center; Study population: 1478 community-based young adults (18-30 years; 51% female), including 609 (52% female) who returned for an 8-year follow-up; Observation procedures: Scheimpflug imaging (Pentacam, Oculus), genotyping and development of a multitrait PRS previously validated to predict keratoconus in older adults.; Main outcome measure: Belin/Ambrόsio enhanced ectasia display (BAD-D) score and keratoconus, defined as BAD-D ≥2.

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Several studies have examined the association of externalizing polygenic scores (PGS) with externalizing symptoms in samples of European ancestry. However, less is known about the associations of externalizing polygenic vulnerability in relation to phenotypic externalizing disorders among individuals of different ancestries, such as Mexican youth. Here, we leveraged the largest genome-wide association study on externalizing behaviors that included over 1 million individuals of European ancestry to examine associations of externalizing PGS with a range of externalizing disorders in Mexican adolescents, and investigated whether adversity exposure in childhood moderated these associations.

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Astigmatism and myopia are two common ocular refractive errors that can impact daily life, including learning and productivity. Current knowledge suggests that the etiology of these conditions is the result of a complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors. Studies in populations of European ancestry have demonstrated a higher concordance of refractive errors in monozygotic (MZ) twins compared to dizygotic (DZ) twins.

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  • Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness and has a strong genetic component; the Genetics of Glaucoma Study (GOGS) aims to identify risk genes to enhance understanding and treatment of the disease.
  • Over 5,700 participants, mainly around 65 years old and predominantly female, were recruited for GOGS, providing detailed medical history and DNA samples to support research.
  • Initial findings show that a significant number of participants have been diagnosed with glaucoma and have a family history of the condition, with many using medications; common associated diseases include ocular hypertension, cataracts, and hypertension.
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The recruitment of participants for research studies may be subject to bias. The Prospective Imaging Study of Ageing (PISA) aims to characterize the phenotype and natural history of healthy adult Australians at high future risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Participants approached to take part in PISA were selected from existing cohort studies with available genomewide genetic data for both successfully and unsuccessfully recruited participants, allowing us to investigate the genetic contribution to voluntary recruitment, including the genetic predisposition to AD.

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Background: Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is an optic neuropathy characterized by progressive degeneration of the optic nerve that leads to irreversible visual impairment. Multiple epidemiological studies suggest an association between POAG and major neurodegenerative disorders (Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, frontotemporal dementia, and Parkinson's disease). However, the nature of the overlap between neurodegenerative disorders, brain morphology and glaucoma remains inconclusive.

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Parkinson's disease (PD) is a late-onset and genetically complex neurodegenerative disorder. Here we sought to identify genes and molecular pathways underlying the associations between PD and the volume of ten brain structures measured through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. We leveraged genome-wide genetic data from several cohorts, including the International Parkinson's Disease Genomics Consortium (IPDG), the UK Biobank, the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, the Cohorts for Heart and Aging Research in Genomic Epidemiology (CHARGE), the Enhancing Neuroimaging Genetics through Meta-Analyses (ENIGMA), and 23andMe.

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  • The study aimed to investigate the relationship between the apolipoprotein E (E4) allele and the prevalence of glaucoma in large genetic cohorts, including data from over 438,000 participants in the UK Biobank and several other studies.* -
  • Results indicated that the E4 allele was inversely associated with glaucoma and negative control conditions like cataract and diabetic eye disease in the UK Biobank, suggesting a potential protective effect.* -
  • However, a separate association was found linking Alzheimer's dementia (AD) with both glaucoma and cataract, indicating complexities in the relationship between E4 and these eye conditions, with replication analyses failing to confirm initial findings.*
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  • Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) has unclear genetic reasons for its impact on certain brain regions, prompting researchers to analyze data from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to find genetic links between FTD and brain structure.
  • The study found five brain regions strongly correlated with FTD risk and identified eight relevant protein-coding genes, indicating shared genetic underpinnings.
  • Additionally, the research revealed that the N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor (NSF) gene's expression decreases with age in a mouse model, suggesting its significance in understanding FTD's etiology.
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Samples can be prone to ascertainment and attrition biases. The Australian Genetics of Depression Study is a large publicly recruited cohort (n = 20,689) established to increase the understanding of depression and antidepressant treatment response. This study investigates differences between participants who donated a saliva sample or agreed to linkage of their records compared to those who did not.

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Purpose: To investigate the association between the apolipoprotein E () E4 dementia-risk allele and prospective longitudinal retinal thinning in a cohort study of suspect and early manifest glaucoma.

Design: Retrospective analysis of prospective cohort data.

Participants: This study included all available eyes from participants recruited to the Progression Risk of Glaucoma: Relevant SNPs [single nucleotide polymorphisms] with Significant Association (PROGRESSA) study with genotyping data from which genotypes could be determined.

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Purpose: To evaluate the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and glaucoma progression.

Design: Multicohort observational study.

Methods: This study combined a retrospective longitudinal analysis of suspect and early manifest primary open angle glaucoma cases from the Progression Risk of Glaucoma: RElevant SNPs with Significant Association (PROGRESSA) study with 2 replication cohorts from the UK Biobank and the Canadian Longitudinal Study of Ageing (CLSA).

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Migraine is a highly common and debilitating disorder that often affects individuals in their most productive years of life. Previous studies have identified both genetic variants and brain morphometry differences associated with migraine risk. However, the relationship between migraine and brain morphometry has not been examined on a genetic level, and the causal nature of the association between brain structure and migraine risk has not been determined.

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