Age-Dependent Pleiotropy Between General Cognitive Function and Major Psychiatric Disorders.

ABSTRACT:

Background

General cognitive function predicts psychiatric illness across the life course. This study examines the role of pleiotropy in explaining the link between cognitive function and psychiatric disorder.

Methods

We used two large genome-wide association study data sets on cognitive function-one from older age, n = 53,949, and one from childhood, n = 12,441. We also used genome-wide association study data on educational attainment, n = 95,427, to examine the validity of its use as a proxy phenotype for cognitive function. Using a new method, linkage disequilibrium regression, we derived genetic correlations, free from the confounding of clinical state between psychiatric illness and cognitive function.

Results

We found a genetic correlation of .711 (p = 2.26e-12)

SUBMITTER: Hill WD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4974237 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature