Heritability of psychosis in Alzheimer disease.
OBJECTIVE
The authors have previously demonstrated familial clustering of psychotic symptoms in late-onset Alzheimer disease (LOAD+P) and sought to estimate and explore the nature of the heritability of LOAD+P.


METHODS
The heritability of LOAD+P, defined by single and multiple psychotic symptoms, was estimated with data from the National Institute of Mental Health AD Genetics Initiative.


RESULTS
The estimated heritability for LOAD+P defined by multiple psychotic symptoms was 61%; for LOAD+P defined by any occurrence of psychotic symptoms, it was 30%.


CONCLUSIONS
Multiplicity of symptoms may represent a useful means for defining a genetically determined LOAD+P phenotype.
Bacanu
Silviu-Alin
SA
Dept. of Psychiatry, Univ. of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
Devlin
Bernie
B
Chowdari
Kodavali V
KV
DeKosky
Steven T
ST
Nimgaonkar
Vishwajit L
VL
Sweet
Robert A
RA
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000150:complications*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D008040:Genetic Linkage / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D010641:Phenotype; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*