ZNF804A rs1344706 is associated with cortical thickness, surface area, and cortical volume of the unmedicated first episode schizophrenia and healthy controls.
The effects of ZNF804A rs1344706, a prominent susceptibility gene for schizophrenia, on gray matter (GM) structure in unmedicated schizophrenia (SZ) patients are still unknown, although several previous studies investigated the effects in medicated SZ patients and healthy controls (HC). Analyzing cortical thickness, surface area, and GM volume simultaneously may provide a more precise and complete picture of the effects. We genotyped 59 unmedicated first episode SZ patients and 60 healthy controls for the ZNF804A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs1344706, and examined between-group differences in cortical thickness, surface area, and cortical volume using a full-factorial 2 × 2 analysis of variance (ANOVA). We found the risk allele (T) in ZNF804A rs1344706, compared to the non-risk allele (G), was associated with thinner cortex in the bilateral precuneus, left precentral gyrus, and several other regions, associated with a smaller cortical surface area in the left superior parietal, precuneus cortex and left superior frontal, and associated with a lower cortical volume in the left superior frontal, left precentral, and right precuneus in SZ patients. In contrast, in the controls, the T allele was associated with the increased cortical measurements compared to the G allele in the same regions as those mentioned above. ZNF804A rs1344706 has significant, but different, effects on cortical thickness, surface area, and cortical volume in multiple regions of the brain cortex. Our findings suggest that ZNF804A rs1344706 may aggravate the risk for schizophrenia by exerting its effects on cortical thickness, surface area, and cortical volume in these brain regions.
Departmentof Psychiatry, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, P. R. China.|Mental Health Institute, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health of Hunan Province, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P. R. China.
Qinling
Q
Wei
Brain Imaging Center, Center for the Study of Applied Psychology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, P. R. China.
Meng
M
Li
Graduate School of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China.|Department of Radiology, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, P. R. China.
Zhuang
Z
Kang
Departmentof Psychiatry, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, P. R. China.
Leijun
L
Li
Departmentof Psychiatry, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, P. R. China.
Feici
F
Diao
Brain Imaging Center, Center for the Study of Applied Psychology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, P. R. China.
Ruibin
R
Zhang
Brain Imaging Center, Center for the Study of Applied Psychology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, P. R. China.
Junjing
J
Wang
Departmentof Psychiatry, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, P. R. China.
Liangrong
L
Zheng
Brain Imaging Center, Center for the Study of Applied Psychology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, P. R. China.
Xue
X
Wen
Departmentof Psychiatry, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, P. R. China.
Jinbei
J
Zhang
Mental Health Institute, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health of Hunan Province, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P. R. China.
Jingping
J
Zhao
Brain Imaging Center, Center for the Study of Applied Psychology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, P. R. China.
Ruiwang
R
Huang
D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology*; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D066128:Gray Matter / Q000473:pathology; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000235:genetics*
D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors; C540527:ZNF804A protein, human
SNP; gray matter; imaging genetics; magnetic resonance imaging; psychosis