title: TCF4 gene polymorphism and cognitive performance in patients with first episode psychosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Single nucleotide polymorphisms in TCF4 gene have been consistently associated with schizophrenia in genome wide association studies, including the C allele of rs9960767. However, its exact role in modulating the schizophrenia phenotype is not known.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To comprehensively investigate the relationship between rs9960767 risk allele (C) of TCF4 and cognitive performance in patients with first episode psychosis (FEP).
  
  
  METHODS
  173 patients with FEP received a comprehensive neurocognitive evaluation and were genotyped for rs9960767. Carriers of the risk allele (CA/CC) were compared to non-carriers (AA) using Multivariate Analysis of Covariance MANCOVA. Ethnicity, negative symptoms and substance abuse were included as covariates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Carriers of the risk allele had a statistically significant lower performance in the cognitive domain of Reasoning/Problem-Solving compared to non-carriers (F1,172=4.4, p=.038). There were no significant genotype effects on the other cognitive domains or general cognition. This effect on the Reasoning/Problem-Solving domain remained significant even when controlling for IQ (F1,172=4.3, p=.039).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  rs9960767 (C) of TCF4 appears to be associated with neurocognitive deficits in the Reasoning/Problem-Solving cognitive domain, in patients with FEP. A confirmation of this finding in a larger sample and including other TCF4 polymorphisms will be needed to gain further validity of this result.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Canada.
authors.forename: Ammar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Albanna
authors.affiliation: Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Canada; Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Canada.
authors.forename: Zia
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Choudhry
authors.affiliation: Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Canada.
authors.forename: Philippe-Olivier
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Harvey
authors.affiliation: Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Canada.
authors.forename: Ferid
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fathalli
authors.affiliation: Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Canada.
authors.forename: Clifford
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cassidy
authors.affiliation: Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Canada.
authors.forename: Sarojini M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Sengupta
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Canada.
authors.forename: Srividya N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Iyer
authors.affiliation: Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Canada.
authors.forename: Aldanie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rho
authors.affiliation: Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Canada.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lepage
authors.affiliation: Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Canada.
authors.forename: Ashok
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malla
authors.affiliation: Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Canada; Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Canada; Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Canada. Electronic address: ridha.joober@douglas.mcgill.ca.
authors.forename: Ridha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Joober
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D051778:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000502:physiology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000073940:Transcription Factor 4; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D051778:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors; C532096:TCF4 protein, human; D000073940:Transcription Factor 4; D014157:Transcription Factors
keywords: First episode psychosis; Genetics; Psychotic disorders; Schizophrenia; TCF4; rs9960767