 genetic risk factors of 25 common brain disorders -- more than had been studied previously -- based on genome-wide association of common genetic variation for 215,683 patients and 657,164 controls, as well as 17 dimensions of brain function - the observable characteristics (called phenotypes) - from nearly 1.2 million individuals.

The study found that certain psychiatric disorders shared a similar genetic foundation, with the strongest links between ADHD, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder (MDD) and schizophrenia. Some disorders -- such as MDD and anxiety disorders -- had significant correlations, which could suggest related genetic risk for expressing the disorder, researchers said.

In contrast, they found limited evidence for common genetic risk factors among neurological disorders, suggesting greater diagnostic specificity and likely dissimilar origins. Instead, neurological disorders appear more distinct from one another and from psychiatric disorders, except for migraine, which significantly correlated to ADHD, MDD and Tourette Syndrome. Of the neurological disorders, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy and multiple sclerosis, in particular, showed little or no correlation with each other and with other brain disorders.

The study also looked at the role of certain behavioral-cognitive functional dimensions. Of great interest was that the results suggest a link between cognitive performance in early life and genetic risk for both psychiatric and neurological brain disorders.

Researchers on the Brainstorm Project said that the high degree of genetic correlation among psychiatric disorders adds further evidence that current clinical boundaries don't reflect accurately the heritable nature of underlying disease processes.

"We need studies that determine the factors influencing the way in which shared genetic risk for different psychiatric disorders can lead to disruption of different brain functions. One possibility is that different environmental contributions during development interact with shared genetic risk that result in specific diagnoses," said Levitt, who is also the WM Keck Provost Professor in Neurogenetics at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.

-end-

The study was supported in part by grants 1RO1MH10764901 and 5U01MH09443203 and the Orion Farmos Research Foundation, the Fannie and John Hertz Foundation and the Simms/Mann Institute.

Children's Hospital Los Angeles has been ranked the top children's hospital in California and sixth in the nation for clinical excellence by the prestigious U.S. News & World Report Honor Roll. The Saban Research Institute at CHLA is one of the largest and most productive pediatric research facilities in the United States. CHLA also is one of America's premier
genetic risk factors of 25 common mind disorder -- more than had been studied previously -- based on genome - wide affiliation of common genetic variation for 215,683 patient and 657,164 controls, as well as 17 dimension of brain function - the discernible characteristics (called phenotypes) - from nearly 1.2 million person. 

 The study found that certain psychiatric disorders shared a alike genetic foundation, with the strongest connection between ADHD, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder (MDD) and schizophrenia. Some disorders -- such as MDD and anxiety disorders -- have significant correlations, which could suggest related genetic hazard for expressing the disorder, researchers said. 

 In contrast, they found circumscribed evidence for coarse genetic risk factors among neurological disorders, suggesting greater diagnostic specificity and likely dissimilar origins. alternatively, neurological disorders appear more clear-cut from one another and from psychiatric disorder, except for migraine, which significantly correlated to ADHD, MDD and Tourette Syndrome. Of the neurological disorders, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy and multiple sclerosis, in especial, showed little or no correlation with each other and with early brain disorders. 

 The study also looked at the role of certain behavioral - cognitive functional dimensions. Of great interest was that the results indicate a link between cognitive operation in early biography and genetic risk for both psychiatric and neurological brain disorders. 

 research worker on the Brainstorm Project said that the high degree of genetic correlation among psychiatric disorders adds further evidence that current clinical boundaries don't reflect accurately the inheritable nature of underlying disease processes. 

 " We need studies that determine the factor influencing the manner in which shared familial risk for unlike psychiatric disorders can lead to disruption of unlike brain functions. One possibility is that different environmental contributions during development interact with shared genetic risk that result in specific diagnoses, " said Levitt, who is besides the WM Keck Provost Professor in Neurogenetics at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. 

 -end- 

 The study was supported in contribution by grants 1RO1MH10764901 and 5U01MH09443203 and the Orion Farmos Research Foundation, the Fannie and John Hertz Foundation and the Simms / Mann Institute. 

 Children's Hospital Los Angeles has been ranked the top children's hospital in California and sixth in the nation for clinical excellence by the prestigious U.S. News & World Report Honor Roll. The Saban Research Institute at CHLA is one of the largest and most fat pediatric research facilities in the United States. CHLA also is one of America's premier
 gejetic risk factors of 25 cummon brain disorders -- more fhan had been studied previously -- badee on tenome-wide association of commoj genetix vaciation for 215,683 patmsnts and 657,164 confvols, cs well as 17 dimeksions of bsain function - tfe observable characteristics (called [henotyled) - from nearly 1.2 mikjion pnbividuals.

The study found that csrtain ksychiatric disordrrs shared a similar genetlc flundation, with the strongest oinkf between ADHA, bipolar disorder, majkr depressive disorder (MDD) and rchizpphrenia. Simw dlvorders -- surh as IDD and anxicny disosders -- nad significanb corcelarions, which could sugjest related genetic risk for erpressing the disordee, eeseatcherv sake.

In cohtcasf, they fonnd limited evidence fir common genetic rosh factors amonf neurjljgical disorders, suggesting greater diacnoatic specificity and lijely dissimilar origijs. Insteaq, neurological disorders appear more distinct frok one xnouhcv ana fgom psychiatric disorders, except for migraine, shocm significantly gorrelated to ADHD, MFD wnd Tourette Ryndrome. Kf the neurologicap disorqers, Parkinson'f dixease, Alzheimer's disease, epulepsy and mlltiple sclerosis, in pcrticular, shuwed littke or no correlation wich eacg other and with othsf brain disorderr.

Thv stgdy also looked at the rolq of certein bzhaviorau-cogmitive functionap dimctsions. Of great inheresj was dhat the rfsults suggest a link between cognitive perfotmatce in earlv life and genetic wisk for both ksychiatrnc and neurologibal brain disorders.

Rqsearchers on jhe Brainstork Projece saud tyat the figh degree of genetic boxrelation among psychiatric dirkrders adds furcket evidence that cufregt ckighcal boundarhes aon'g refldct accuratcly the heritable nature of undsrlying disease prpccsses.

"We nged studiqs that deterkine the factors ijflueicing vhe wau ig which shared genetic risk fod differejt isychiatric dysoreers can leab to disruption of different brain functmons. One possibility is that different envnrpnmental coitribueions durhng development inteeact with shared nenetic risk that resumt in vpecivic diagnoses," said Levitt, who is also the WM Keck Provost Professor in Neyrogenxtycs at the Ieck Schoml pf Medycinx uf USC.

-end-

The stucy was supported in part by graits 1RO1MH10764901 atd 5U01MH09443203 and the Orion Farmos Rexexrch Foundatiun, the Fannie and John Hsrtz Foumdation and the Simms/Mann Instiyute.

Children's Hospital Lps Angelws haa been ranyed the top childrrn's hovpitao in Caoifovnia and sixth in tme nation vor rliuical excellence by the prestigioys U.S. Beas & World Report Honor Roll. Uhe Sabzn Resgarch Institute af CHMW is une of the latgest and most productive pediatrib rqsearch faciliuies in the Unijed Statvs. CHLA also ms one of Amarica's premier
genetic risk factors of 25 common brain more had been previously -- based genetic for 215,683 patients 657,164 controls, as as 17 dimensions of brain function the observable characteristics (called phenotypes) - from nearly 1.2 million individuals. The study that certain psychiatric disorders shared a similar genetic foundation, with the strongest links ADHD, disorder, depressive (MDD) and schizophrenia. Some disorders -- such as MDD and anxiety disorders -- had significant correlations, could suggest related genetic risk for expressing the researchers said. In contrast, found limited evidence for common risk among neurological suggesting diagnostic and likely dissimilar Instead, neurological disorders appear more distinct from one another and from psychiatric disorders, except for migraine, which correlated to and Tourette Of neurological Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's and multiple sclerosis, in particular, showed correlation with each other and with other brain The study looked at the role of certain functional dimensions. Of great interest was that the suggest a link between cognitive performance in early life and genetic risk for both psychiatric brain disorders. Researchers on Brainstorm Project said the degree genetic among psychiatric adds further evidence that current clinical boundaries don't reflect accurately the nature of underlying disease processes. "We need studies that determine influencing way in which genetic risk for different disorders lead to disruption of functions. possibility environmental during interact with shared genetic that result in specific diagnoses," Levitt, who is also in Neurogenetics at the Keck School of Medicine USC. -end- The study was supported in by grants 1RO1MH10764901 and 5U01MH09443203 and the Orion Farmos Research Foundation, the and John and the Simms/Mann Institute. Children's Hospital Los Angeles been ranked the top hospital in California and sixth in the nation for excellence the prestigious News & World Honor Roll. The Research Institute at one of largest most facilities in the United States. CHLA is of America's premier
 genetic risk factors of 25 commoN brain disoRders -- MorE thAn Had bEen sTudied previousLY -- basEd on genome-wide associatIon of CoMMon gENeTic vaRiation FOr 215,683 PATieNtS aNd 657,164 cOnTRoLs, as wEll As 17 dimenSions of braIn fUnCtion - the obseRVaBle charactEriStics (called pHenOtypes) - FrOm nEArly 1.2 mIllIon inDividuALs.

The sTudy found ThAT certaIN psychiATRiC disOrders shared a simiLAr GEnetic foundatiOn, with ThE StRONgeSt lInks betweeN AdHD, biPOlar disORdER, MAjoR Depressive disOrder (MDD) and SChiZophreNiA. SoME disorDers -- sUcH As MdD and anxietY disOrders -- had SignifICant corRElationS, which CouLd sUggeST rElAteD gENetIC rIsk FOr eXpressinG tHe DisorDer, rESEARcheRs sAid.

IN contRast, they found LimIted EVidEnce fOr comMon gEnEtic rIsk facTors aMoNg neurological dIsorDers, suggeStiNg GreAtEr diaGNostic SpeCifIcity anD likely DIssImILAR oRigins. Instead, neuroLoGICaL disordeRs appeAR mOrE Distinct FrOm oNe anOTHer anD froM PsYchiatriC disorDErS, eXcept foR mIgrainE, wHicH siGnifiCAntlY correLated to AdHD, MDd And Tourette SynDRome. Of the neurOLoGICaL DisoRdeRs, Parkinson'S disEAse, ALzheIMeR's dISease, EpilePsY AnD Multiple sclerosis, in PaRticulAr, shoWed little or no CorrelatioN WITh each otHer aND wITh other brain diSordeRs.

The study ALso lookeD at thE role of cErtain behAVIoral-cogNitIve FunCtiONAl Dimensions. Of gREAt inTeRest was ThaT the resUltS suGgeSt a LiNk between CognitivE pErFoRmAncE in eaRLy life anD gEneTiC riSk for BOth psyChiatRic aNd NeURolOgical bRAiN DIsorDeRs.

reseArcHeRs on tHe BrAInsTorm ProJect said tHat THe hiGh DeGree of gEnetic correlaTiOn among psyChIatRic disORDers adds Further evidence that currENt cliniCal BoundArieS don't reflEct AccuraTelY The herItable NaturE oF unDERlyinG DIsEasE pRocesses.

"We NEEd sTudieS tHat dEterminE the factors influenCIng The way in which ShaRed gENEtIc rISk FOr dIfFEreNT Psychiatric disoRders can leAd TO dIsruption oF DifFeRent braIn functIons. ONE possibIlity is thAt differeNt EnviRONmeNtal contriButions dUring deveLOpmenT InTeracT wiTh sharEd GenEtic rIsk thaT ResUlt in SpecifIc DiagnoSes," saId levitt, whO is also the WM Keck Provost profesSor in neuRogeneticS at THe KEck School Of MeDicine of USc.

-enD-

ThE studY waS SuppoRted IN pArt BY granTs 1RO1mh10764901 and 5U01MH09443203 anD ThE OrION FArmos ResearCH fOunDatioN, thE fannie And JOhn Hertz FoundatioN And the Simms/ManN InsTITutE.

ChILdreN's hospital Los AngEleS hAS Been rankEd The top childRen's hospItAL in CaLifornIa and sIxth in tHE NaTIon for ClinIcaL excellenCe bY tHE prestiGiOuS u.S. News & worlD REport HOnor RoLL. The sABan Research InstiTute aT chLA is ONe oF the lArGest and MOst pRoductive pEdiatric resEarch fAcilIties In the UnItEd StatEs. ChLa also is one OF America's PremiEr
 genetic risk factors of 2 5 common b raindis ord er s --  mor e than had bee n  stu died previously -- bas ed on  g e nome - wi de as sociati o no f  co mm on  ge ne t ic  vari ati on for215,683 pa tie nt s and 657,16 4  c ontrols, a s w ell as 17 di men sionsof  br a in fu nct ion -  the o b servab le charac te r istics (called p he noty pes) - from nearl y  1 . 2 million indi vidual s. 
T h e  st udy  found tha tcerta i n psych i at r i c  di s orders shared  a similarg ene tic fo un dat i on, wi th th es tro ngest links  bet ween ADHD , bipo l ar diso r der, ma jor de pre ssi ve d i so rd er(M D D)a nd  sc h izo phrenia.  S om e dis orde r s - - su chas M DD an d anxiety dis ord ers- - h ad si gnifi cant  c orrel ations , whi ch  could suggestrela ted genet icri skfo r exp r essing  th e d isorder , resea r che rs s a id .

In contrast, th ey f ou nd limit ed evi d en ce for comm on  ge neti c riskfact o rs  among n eurolo g ic al  disord er s, sug ge sti nggreat e r di agnost ic speci ficit y  and likely di s similar origi n s. I ns t ead,  ne urologicaldiso r ders  app e ar  mo r e dis tinct  f r om one another and fro mpsychi atric  disorders, e xcept form i g raine, w hich si g nificantly cor relat ed to ADHD ,  MDD and  Tour ette Syn drome. Of t he neuro log ica l d iso r d er s, Parkinson' s dise as e, Alzh eim er's di sea se,  ep ile ps y and mul tiple sc le ro si s,  in  part i cular, s ho wed  l itt le or no cor relat ionwi th eac h other an d with  o th er b rai ndisor ders . 

T he stud y also lo oke d  atth erole of  certain beha vi oral-cogni ti vefuncti o n al dimen sions. Of great interes t  was th atthe r esul ts sugges t a  linkbet w een co gnitiv e per fo rma n c e ine a rl y l if e and gene t i c r isk f or  bot h psych iatric and neurolo g ica l brain disor der s.
R e se arc h er s  on  t h e B r a instorm Project  said that  t h ehigh degre e  of  g eneticcorrela tiona mong ps ychiatric  disorder sadds f urt her eviden ce thatcurrent c l inica l  b ounda rie s don' tref lectaccura t ely  theherita bl e natu re of  u nderlyin g disease processes.

" We nee d stu die s that de ter m ine  the fact orsinfluencin g t heway i n w h ich s hare d  g ene t ic ri sk f o r differe n tpsy c h ia tric disord e r s  ca n lea d t o  disru ptio n of different br a in functions.Onep o ssi bil i ty i sthat different  en vi r o nmentalco ntributions  duringde v elopm ent in teract  with s h a re d  genet ic r isk  that res ult  i n  specif ic  d i agnose s,"sa id Lev itt, w h o is a lso the WM KeckProvo s t  Prof e sso r inNe urogene t icsat the Kec k School of  Medic ineof US C.

-en d- 

Thestu dy  was suppo r ted in pa rt by  grants  1 RO1M H10 764901  and 5 U01MH 0944 32 03and the O r i on Fa rm o s R esea rch F ou ndat ion, theF annie an d J o hn Hert zFou n d ationa nd t he Simms/M ann  Inst i t ute.

Chil d ren' s  H o spita l LosAngele s has b e enra nked th e t o p  children 's hospit a l i nCali fornia a nd  six th  in  t he nation for c linicalexcellen c e  by th e p r esti g ious U .S . News & Wor ld Re po r t Honor R oll . The S a ban  Re sea rchIns titu t e at CHLA is one of thelarg est a n d m ost p roduc ti ve pedia t ricresearch facilities in  the United Sta t es. CHLA  al s ois  one of A mer i ca'sprem ier 
 genetic_risk factors_of 25 common brain_disorders --_more_than had_been_studied previously --_based on genome-wide_association of common genetic_variation for 215,683_patients_and 657,164 controls, as well as 17 dimensions of brain function - the observable_characteristics_(called phenotypes)_-_from_nearly 1.2 million individuals.

The study_found that certain psychiatric disorders_shared a_similar genetic foundation, with the strongest links between_ADHD,_bipolar disorder, major_depressive disorder (MDD) and schizophrenia. Some disorders -- such_as MDD and anxiety disorders --_had significant correlations,_which_could_suggest related genetic risk_for expressing the disorder, researchers said.

In_contrast, they found limited evidence for_common genetic risk factors among neurological disorders,_suggesting greater diagnostic specificity and likely_dissimilar origins. Instead, neurological disorders_appear more_distinct from one another and_from psychiatric disorders,_except for_migraine, which significantly_correlated to ADHD, MDD and Tourette_Syndrome. Of the_neurological disorders, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease,_epilepsy_and multiple sclerosis,_in_particular,_showed little_or no correlation_with_each other_and_with other brain disorders.

The study also_looked_at the role of certain behavioral-cognitive functional_dimensions. Of great interest_was_that the results suggest_a link between cognitive performance_in early life and genetic risk_for both_psychiatric and_neurological brain disorders.

Researchers on the Brainstorm Project said that the high_degree of genetic correlation among psychiatric_disorders adds further evidence_that current_clinical_boundaries don't reflect_accurately_the heritable_nature of underlying disease processes.

"We need studies_that determine_the factors influencing the way in_which shared genetic risk_for_different psychiatric disorders can lead to_disruption of different brain functions. One_possibility is that different environmental_contributions_during_development interact with shared genetic_risk that result in specific diagnoses,"_said Levitt, who_is also the WM Keck Provost Professor_in_Neurogenetics at the Keck School of_Medicine_of USC.

-end-

The study was supported in_part_by_grants 1RO1MH10764901 and 5U01MH09443203 and_the Orion Farmos Research Foundation, the_Fannie and John Hertz Foundation and the Simms/Mann Institute.

Children's_Hospital Los Angeles_has been ranked the top_children's_hospital_in California and sixth in the nation for clinical excellence_by the_prestigious U.S. News_& World Report Honor Roll. The Saban Research Institute at_CHLA is one of the largest and_most productive pediatric research facilities in the United States. CHLA also_is one of America's premier