Work

Using the tools of genetic epidemiology to understand sex differences in neuropsychiatric disorders

Year: 2020

Type: review

Abstract: Many neuropsychiatric disorders exhibit differences in prevalence, age of onset, symptoms or course of illness between males and females. For the most part, the origins of these differences are not well understood. In this article, we provide an overview of sex differences in psychiatric disorders including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, depression, alcohol and substance abuse, schizophrenia, eating disorders and risk of suicide. We discuss both genetic and nongenetic mechanisms that have been hypothesized to underlie these differences, including ascertainment bias, environmental stressors, X- or Y-linked risk loci, and differential liability thresholds in males and females. We then review the use of twin, family and genome-wide association approaches to study potential genetic mechanisms of sex differences and the extent to which these designs have been employed in studies of psychiatric disorders. We describe the utility of genetic epidemiologic study designs, including classical twin and family studies, large-scale studies of population registries, derived recurrence risks, and molecular genetic analyses of genome-wide variation that may enhance our understanding sex differences in neuropsychiatric disorders.

Source: Genes Brain & Behavior

DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12660

Authors: Alison K. Merikangas, Laura Almasy

Institutions: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania

Language: English

Topic: Genetic Associations and Epidemiology

Subfield: Genetics

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,000