Dissection of major depressive disorder using polygenic risk scores for schizophrenia in two independent cohorts.

ABSTRACT: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is known for its substantial clinical and suspected causal heterogeneity. It is characterized by low mood, psychomotor slowing and increased levels of the personality trait neuroticism; factors also associated with schizophrenia (SCZ). It is possible that some cases of MDD may have a substantial genetic loading for SCZ. The presence of SCZ-like MDD subgroups would be indicated by an interaction between MDD status and polygenic risk of SCZ on cognitive, personality and mood measures. Here, we hypothesized that higher SCZ polygenic risk would define larger MDD case-control differences in cognitive ability, and smaller differences in distress and neuroticism. Polygenic risk scores (PRSs) for SCZ and their association with cognitive variables, neuroticism, mood

SUBMITTER: Whalley HC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5314119 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature