Uncovering genes for cognitive (dys)function and predisposition for alcoholism spectrum disorders: a review of human brain oscillations as effective endophenotypes.

ABSTRACT: Brain oscillations provide a rich source of potentially useful endophenotypes (intermediate phenotypes) for psychiatric genetics, as they represent important correlates of human information processing and are associated with fundamental processes from perception to cognition. These oscillations are highly heritable, are modulated by genes controlling neurotransmitters in the brain, and provide links to associative and integrative brain functions. These endophenotypes represent traits that are less complex and more proximal to gene function than either diagnostic labels or traditional cognitive measures, providing a powerful strategy in searching for genes in psychiatric disorders. These intermediate phenotypes identify both affected and unaffected members of an affected family, including o

SUBMITTER: Rangaswamy M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2814598 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature