Genetics of Schizophrenia in an Ashkenazi Jewish Case-Control Cohort

Schizophrenia is characterized by high heritability (~80%), yet the identification of susceptibility genes has proven extremely challenging. The Ashkenazi Jewish population, derived from a limited number of founders, may be enriched for a subset of susceptibility alleles, which may also have higher odds ratios than those detected by previous studies. GWAS was conducted in a large Ashkenazi case-control cohort, derived from the Hebrew University Genetic Resource, using the Illumina HumanOmni1-Quad BeadChip. ]]> Sample Collection and Quality ControlInclusion criteria for all subjects: self-identified 4 grandparents of Ashkenazi Jewish heritage Inclusion criteria for cases: hospitalized inpatients meeting DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. ]]> Inclusion criteria for all subjects: self-identified 4 grandparents of Ashkenazi Jewish heritage Inclusion criteria for cases: hospitalized inpatients meeting DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Exclusion criteria for cases: subjects diagnosed with at least one of the following disorders: psychotic disorder due to a general medical condition, substance-induced psychotic disorder, or any Cluster A (schizotypal, schizoid, or paranoid) personality disorder. Exclusion criteria for controls: report of any chronic disease or taking any medication at the time of blood draw. ]]>