Greater genetic risk for adult psychiatric diseases increases vulnerability to adverse outcome after preterm birth
Year: 2021
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Preterm birth is an extreme environmental stress associated with an increased risk of later cognitive dysfunction and mental health problems. However, the extent to which preterm birth is modulated by genetic variation remains largely unclear. Here, we test for an interaction effect between psychiatric polygenic risk and gestational age at birth on cognition at age four. Our sample comprises 4934 unrelated individuals (2066 individuals born < 37 weeks, 918 born < = 34 weeks). Genome-wide polygenic scores (GPS’s) were calculated for each individual for five different psychiatric pathologies: Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Linear regression modelling was used to estimate the interaction effect between psychiatric GPS and gestational age at birth (GA) on cognitive outcome for the five psychiatric disorders. We found a significant interaction effect between Schizophrenia GPS and GA (β = 0.038 ± 0.013, p = 6.85 × 10–3) and Bipolar Disorder GPS and GA (β = 0.038 ± 0.014, p = 6.61 × 10–3) on cognitive outcome. Individuals with greater genetic risk for Schizophrenia or Bipolar Disorder are more vulnerable to the adverse effects of birth at early gestational age on brain development, as assessed by cognition at age four. Better understanding of gene-environment interactions will inform more effective risk-reducing interventions for this vulnerable population.
Source: Scientific Reports
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,990
Funders: Wellcome Trust, National Institute for Health and Care Research, Department of Health and Social Care, King's College London, European Commission, Medical Research Council Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Medical Research Council, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Menzies Centre for Australian Studies, King's College London, University of London, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Centre For Medical Engineering, King’s College London, FP7 Ideas: European Research Council
Awards: G1093531541, G2473961061, G2761558319, G3207356259, G393177772, G4449678476, Aggression in Children: Unraveling gene-environment interplay to inform Treatment and InterventiON strateg, G463724992, Origins of learning difficulties and behaviour problems: from behavioural genetics to behavioural genomics., G536866722, G5702163051, G5878972985, Evaluation of MR imaging to predict neurodevelopmental impairment in preterm infants, G7398770686, Genetics of High Cognitive Abilities, G7716769900
OpenAlex ID: W3165289714