Progress in the genetics of polygenic brain disorders: significant new challenges for neurobiology

Steven A McCarroll; Steven E Hyman

doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2013.10.046

Progress in the genetics of polygenic brain disorders: significant new challenges for neurobiology

Neuron. 2013 Oct 30;80(3):578-87. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2013.10.046.

Authors

Steven A McCarroll¹, Steven E Hyman

Affiliation

¹ Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02141, USA; Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Electronic address: mccarroll@genetics.med.harvard.edu.

Abstract

Advances in genome analysis, accompanied by the assembly of large patient cohorts, are making possible successful genetic analyses of polygenic brain disorders. If the resulting molecular clues, previously hidden in the genomes of affected individuals, are to yield useful information about pathogenesis and inform the discovery of new treatments, neurobiology will have to rise to many difficult challenges. Here we review the underlying logic of the genetic investigations, describe in more detail progress in schizophrenia and autism, and outline the challenges for neurobiology that lie ahead. We argue that technologies at the disposal of neuroscience are adequately advanced to begin to study the biology of common and devastating polygenic disorders.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Brain Diseases* / diagnosis
Brain Diseases* / genetics
Brain Diseases* / therapy
Genetic Predisposition to Disease / genetics*
Genome-Wide Association Study
Humans
Mental Disorders* / diagnosis
Mental Disorders* / genetics
Mental Disorders* / therapy
Neurobiology / methods*

Grants and funding

R01 HG006855/HG/NHGRI NIH HHS/United States