Am J Psychiatry 164:813-819, May 2007
doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.164.5.813
© 2007 American Psychiatric Association
Neurocognitive Endophenotypes in a Multiplex Multigenerational Family Study of Schizophrenia
Raquel E. Gur, M.D., Ph.D.,
Vishwajit L. Nimgaonkar, M.D., Ph.D.,
Laura Almasy, Ph.D.,
Monica E. Calkins, Ph.D.,
J. Daniel Ragland, Ph.D.,
Michael F. Pogue-Geile, Ph.D.,
Stephen Kanes, M.D., Ph.D.,
John Blangero, Ph.D., and
Ruben C. Gur, Ph.D.
OBJECTIVE: Genetic factors contribute to the development of schizophrenia where cognitive dysfunction is a hallmark. The purpose of this article was to examine computerized neurocognitive measures as candidate endophenotypic markers of liability for schizophrenia in a genetically informative cohort. METHOD: European Americans from 35 multiplex multigenerational families (N=349) and healthy participants (N=154) underwent clinical assessments and neurocognitive measurements and provided blood samples. The neurocognitive measures included performance (accuracy and speed) from a computerized battery that assessed abstraction/mental flexibility; attention; verbal, face, and spatial memory; spatial processing; sensorimotor processing; and emotion intensity discrimination. RESULTS: Probands, relatives, and comparison subjects differed from each other in performance. Probands demonstrated greatest impairment relative to comparison subjects, followed by family members. Liability for schizophrenia affected the speed-accuracy tradeoff differently for specific neurocognitive domains. Significant heritability estimates were obtained for accuracy of verbal, facial, and spatial memory and spatial and emotion processing. For speed, estimates of heritability were significant for abstraction/mental flexibility, attention, face memory, and spatial and sensorimotor processing. CONCLUSIONS: In a multigenerational multiplex design, the authors demonstrated that neurocognitive measures are associated with schizophrenia, differentiate unaffected relatives from comparison subjects, and may have significant presumed heritability. Therefore, they are endophenotypes suitable for genetic studies. Accuracy and speed can be differentially sensitive to presumed genetic liability.
Related Article:
-
In This Issue
Am J Psychiatry 2007 164: A56.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
|
|
 
K. M. Prasad and M. S. Keshavan
Structural Cerebral Variations as Useful Endophenotypes in Schizophrenia: Do They Help Construct "Extended Endophenotypes"?
Schizophr Bull,
July 1, 2008;
34(4):
774 - 790.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. K. Hill, M. S. H. Harris, E. S. Herbener, M. Pavuluri, and J. A. Sweeney
Neurocognitive Allied Phenotypes for Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder
Schizophr Bull,
July 1, 2008;
34(4):
743 - 759.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. E. Pinkham, N. J. Sasson, M. E. Calkins, J. Richard, P. Hughett, R. E. Gur, and R. C. Gur
The Other-Race Effect in Face Processing Among African American and Caucasian Individuals With Schizophrenia
Am J Psychiatry,
May 1, 2008;
165(5):
639 - 645.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
P. M. Grant and A. T. Beck
Defeatist Beliefs as a Mediator of Cognitive Impairment, Negative Symptoms, and Functioning in Schizophrenia
Schizophr Bull,
February 27, 2008;
(2008)
sbn008v1.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
T. A. Greenwood, D. L. Braff, G. A. Light, K. S. Cadenhead, M. E. Calkins, D. J. Dobie, R. Freedman, M. F. Green, R. E. Gur, R. C. Gur, et al.
Initial Heritability Analyses of Endophenotypic Measures for Schizophrenia: The Consortium on the Genetics of Schizophrenia
Arch Gen Psychiatry,
November 1, 2007;
64(11):
1242 - 1250.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
Get information about faster international access.
Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2007
American Psychiatric Association.
All rights reserved.
Home
| Search
| Current Issue
| Past Issues
| Subscribe
| All APPI Journals
| Help
| Contact Us
|
