title: Dysbindin C-A-T haplotype is associated with thicker medial orbitofrontal cortex in healthy population.
abstract: The dysbindin (dystrobrevin-binding protein 1) gene has been indicated as one of the most important schizophrenia susceptibility genes. Several genetic variations of this gene have been investigated by using an "intermediate phenotype" approach showing a particular detrimental effect on the prefrontal function in schizophrenic patients. However, the nature of dysbindin function within the brains of healthy individuals is poorly understood, in particular as concerns brain anatomy. We examine relationships between a previously implicated three marker C-A-T dysbindin haplotype and regional cortical thickness in a wide population genotyped for risk carriers (n=14) and non-risk carriers (n=93). Surface-based analysis of the cortical mantle showed that the dysbindin haplotype was associated with structural differences in the medial orbitofrontal cortex, where the risk carriers showed the highest cortical thickness values and the non-risk carriers the lowest. Our study extends previous evidence found on schizophrenic patients to the healthy population, demonstrating the influence of dysbindin risk variants on the neuronal architecture of a specific brain region relevant to the neuropathology of schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Neuroimaging Research Unit, Institute of Neurological Sciences, National Research Council, Catanzaro, Italy. a.cerasa@isn.cnr.it
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cerasa
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Quattrone
authors.forename: Maria C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Gioia
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tarantino
authors.forename: Grazia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Annesi
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Assogna
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Caltagirone
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: De Luca
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Spalletta
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D000074765:Dysbindin; D049029:Dystrophin-Associated Proteins; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000235:genetics; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; C432416:DTNBP1 protein, human; D000074765:Dysbindin; D049029:Dystrophin-Associated Proteins