title: Variance in neurocognitive performance is associated with dysbindin-1 in schizophrenia: a preliminary study.
abstract: Susceptibility genes for schizophrenia have been hypothesised to mediate liability for the disorder at least partly by influencing cognitive performance. We investigated the association between genotype and cognitive performance for a Dysbindin risk haplotype which is associated with schizophrenia in our sample. Fifty-two patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (24 risk haplotypes carriers versus 28 non-risk haplotype carriers) were assessed in areas of cognition showing evidence of familial deficits in schizophrenia. Verbal and spatial memory, working memory, and attentional control was assessed using selected measures from the Weschler memory scale (WMS), Cambridge automated test battery (CANTAB), continuous performance test (CPT), and a simple go/no-go task. Pre-morbid IQ was also assessed using the Weschler Test of Adult Reading (WTAR). Patients carrying the Dysbindin risk haplotype showed significantly lower spatial working memory performance than patients who were non-risk carriers, with genotype explaining 12% of variance in performance. Our study suggests that the increased risk for schizophrenia associated with dysbindin may be partly mediated by its influence on pre-frontal function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology & Trinity Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland. donoghug@tcd.ie
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Donohoe
authors.forename: Derek W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.forename: Kevin A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: McGhee
authors.forename: Siobhan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schwaiger
authors.forename: Jeanne-Marie
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Nangle
authors.forename: Hugh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Garavan
authors.forename: Ian H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Robertson
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.forename: Aiden
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Corvin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D000074765:Dysbindin; D049029:Dystrophin-Associated Proteins; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006239:Haplotypes; D006579:Heterozygote; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000235:genetics*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D014888:Wechsler Scales
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; C432416:DTNBP1 protein, human; D000074765:Dysbindin; D049029:Dystrophin-Associated Proteins