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Genetic overlap between episodic memory deficits and schizophrenia: results from The Maudsley Twin Study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 May 2010

S. F. Owens ,
M. M. Picchioni ,
F. V. Rijsdijk ,
D. Stahl ,
E. Vassos ,
A. K. Rodger ,
D. A. Collier ,
R. M. Murray  and
T. Toulopoulou
S. F. Owens*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, King's Health Partners, UK
M. M. Picchioni
Affiliation:
St Andrew's Academic Centre, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Northampton, UK
F. V. Rijsdijk
Affiliation:
Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK
D. Stahl
Affiliation:
Department of Biostatistics, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK
E. Vassos
Affiliation:
Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, King's Health Partners, UK
A. K. Rodger
Affiliation:
Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, King's Health Partners, UK
D. A. Collier
Affiliation:
Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK
R. M. Murray
Affiliation:
Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, King's Health Partners, UK
T. Toulopoulou
Affiliation:
Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, King's Health Partners, UK
*
*Address for correspondence: Ms. S. F. Owens, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, King's Health Partners, De Crespigny Park, LondonSE5 8AF, UK. (Email: sheena.owens@kcl.ac.uk)
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Abstract

Background

Visual and verbal episodic memory deficits are putative endophenotypes for schizophrenia; however, the extent of any genetic overlap of these with schizophrenia is unclear. In this study, we set out to quantify the genetic and environmental contributions to variance in visual and verbal memory performance, and to quantify their genetic relationship with schizophrenia.

Method

We applied bivariate genetic modelling to 280 twins in a classic twin study design, including monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) pairs concordant and discordant for schizophrenia, and healthy control twins. We assessed episodic memory using subtests of the Wechsler Memory Scale – Revised (WMS-R).

Results

Genetic influences (i.e. heritability) contributed significantly to variance in immediate recall of both verbal memory and visual learning, and the delayed recall of verbal and visual memory. Liability to schizophrenia was associated with memory impairment, with evidence of significant phenotypic correlations between all episodic memory measures and schizophrenia. Genetic factors were the main source of the phenotypic correlations for immediate recall of visual learning material; both immediate and delayed recall of verbal memory; and delayed recall of visual memory that, for example, shared genetic variance with schizophrenia, which accounted for 88% of the phenotypic correlation (rph=0.41) between the two.

Conclusions

Verbal memory and visual learning and memory are moderately heritable, share a genetic overlap with schizophrenia and are valid endophenotypes for the condition. The inclusion of these endophenotypes in genetic association studies may improve the power to detect susceptibility genes for schizophrenia.

Keywords

Endophenotypememoryneurocognitionschizophreniatwins
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 41 , Issue 3 , March 2011 , pp. 521 - 532
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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