Article
Psychology, Clinical
Emma C. Johnson, Sandra Sanchez-Roige, Laura Acion, Mark J. Adams, Kathleen K. Bucholz, Grace Chan, Michael J. Chao, David B. Chorlian, Danielle M. Dick, Howard J. Edenberg, Tatiana Foroud, Caroline Hayward, Jon Heron, Victor Hesselbrock, Matthew Hickman, Kenneth S. Kendler, Sivan Kinreich, John Kramer, Sally I-Chun Kuo, Samuel Kuperman, Dongbing Lai, Andrew M. McIntosh, Jacquelyn L. Meyers, Martin H. Plawecki, Bernice Porjesz, David Porteous, Marc A. Schuckit, Jinni Su, Yong Zang, Abraham A. Palmer, Arpana Agrawal, Toni-Kim Clarke, Alexis C. Edwards
Summary: It was found that AUDIT-P PRS was associated with a variety of alcohol-related phenotypes across population-based and ascertained cohorts, while AUDIT-C PRS showed less utility in the ascertained cohort. The study demonstrated that AUDIT-P is genetically correlated with both use and misuse, and highlighted the influence of ascertainment schemes on PRS analyses.
PSYCHOLOGICAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Review
Pathology
Christopher El Hadi, Georges Ayoub, Yara Bachir, Michele Haykal, Nadine Jalkh, Hampig Raphael Kourie
Summary: Diseases were initially believed to be caused by single gene mutations, but recent advances in research have shown that complex diseases like cancer are the result of multiple genes interacting with each other and the environment. Studying functionally interacting groups of genes holds promise for unraveling the mysteries of cancer.
EXPERT REVIEW OF MOLECULAR DIAGNOSTICS
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Lydia Gabriela Speyer, Samuel Neaves, Hildigunnur Anna Hall, Gibran Hemani, Michael Vincent Lombardo, Aja Louise Murray, Bonnie Auyeung, Michelle Luciano
Summary: This study investigated the joint developmental trajectories of internalizing and externalizing problems using parallel process latent class growth analysis, identifying five classes ranging from unaffected to high internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Results showed that affected classes were distinguishable from the unaffected class based on factors such as sex, maternal age, maternal mental health, and child polygenic risk scores. Additionally, phenotypic and polygenic predictors had limited ability to differentiate between different affected classes, suggesting shared risk factors for internalizing and externalizing problems.
JOURNAL OF CHILD PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Psychiatry
Wen-Qiong Wei, Hong Sun, Ya-Juan Chen, Xiao-Wen Liu, Rui Zhou, Yi Li, Xin-Wen Liu
Summary: This study identified the association between ADHD and excitatory neurons in the midbrain, visual cortex, and frontal lobe regions through the integration of genetic variants and gene expression data.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Hematology
Tom G. Richardson, Katie O'Nunain, Caroline L. Relton, George Davey Smith
Summary: This study demonstrates the potential of polygenic risk scores in stratifying individuals based on cardiovascular traits and biomarkers. The findings highlight the predictive power of these scores in early detection of complex trait variations.
ARTERIOSCLEROSIS THROMBOSIS AND VASCULAR BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Psychiatry
Dongbing Lai, Tae-Hwi Schwantes-An, Marco Abreu, Grace Chan, Victor Hesselbrock, Chella Kamarajan, Yunlong Liu, Jacquelyn L. Meyers, John I. Jr Jr Nurnberger, Martin H. Plawecki, Leah Wetherill, Marc Schuckit, Pengyue Zhang, Howard J. Edenberg, Bernice Porjesz, Arpana Agrawal, Tatiana Foroud
Summary: This study proposes a gene-based polygenic risk score (PRSgene) to improve the evaluation of alcohol use disorder (AUD) risk in African Americans (AA). By using variants located within disease-associated genes to calculate PRSgene, it was found to be significantly associated with AUD in both AA and European ancestry (EA) populations and outperformed PRS calculated using all variants in AA. The study provides new insights into AUD genetics and identifies potential drug targets for AUD treatment.
TRANSLATIONAL PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Nigus G. Asefa, Zoha Kamali, Satyajit Pereira, Ahmad Vaez, Nomdo Jansonius, Arthur A. Bergen, Harold Snieder
Summary: By conducting a large-scale genome-wide association analysis, we prioritized candidate genes for primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and identified their functional characteristics and underlying biological pathways. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying glaucoma pathogenesis.
Article
Substance Abuse
Kayleigh E. Easey, Robyn E. Wootton, Hannah M. Sallis, Elis Haan, Laura Schellhas, Marcus R. Munafo, Nicholas J. Timpson, Luisa Zuccolo
Summary: The study found that maternal alcohol PRS was associated with alcohol consumption during pregnancy, while offspring alcohol PRS was not associated with drinking in adolescence. Maternal alcohol PRS was also linked to prenatal depression and decreased offspring intellectual ability.
DRUG AND ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Amira M. Mourad, Shamseldeen Eltaher, Andreas Boerner, Ahmed Sallam
Summary: This study provides insights into the genetic control of kernel yield under controlled and heavy metals conditions, which is crucial for breeding wheat varieties tolerant to lead and tin.
Article
Substance Abuse
Victoria A. Risner, Chelsie E. Benca-Bachman, Lauren Bertin, Alicia K. Smith, Jaakko Kaprio, John E. McGeary, Elissa Chesler, Valerie S. Knopik, Naomi P. Friedman, Rohan H. C. Palmer
Summary: The study found that the risk for nicotine dependence is not only polygenic, but also pleiotropic. Polygenic effects accessible by educational attainment, cigarettes per day, and self-perceived risk-taking were the most robust predictors, with limited effects on nicotine dependence explained by polygenic scores.
NICOTINE & TOBACCO RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hong Yang, Muhammad Arif, Meng Yuan, Xiangyu Li, Koeun Shong, Hasan Turkez, Jens Nielsen, Mathias Uhlen, Jan Boren, Cheng Zhang, Adil Mardinoglu
Summary: Researchers conducted network analysis and integrative systems analysis to reveal key transcriptional regulators and biological processes involved in the progression of NAFLD, enhancing the understanding of the disease mechanism.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Mohamed Abdulkadir, Christopher Hubel, Moritz Herle, Ruth J. F. Loos, Gerome Breen, Cynthia M. Bulik, Nadia Micali
Summary: Deviation from normal growth trajectories during childhood is associated with anorexia nervosa (AN) and obesity later in life. This study examined the relationship between polygenic scores for AN and BMI and growth trajectories in the first two decades of life. The results show that AN PGS and BMI PGS have detectable sex-specific effects on growth. Female participants with high AN PGS and low BMI PGS are at a higher risk for AN, as their growth was slower compared to their peers with high PGSs on both traits.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN GENETICS
(2022)
Article
Psychiatry
Kevin S. O'Connell, Elise Koch, Hasan Cagin Lenk, Ibrahim A. Akkouh, Guy Hindley, Piotr Jaholkowski, Robert Lovsletten Smith, Borge Holen, Alexey A. Shadrin, Oleksandr Frei, Olav B. Smeland, Nils Eiel Steen, Anders M. Dale, Espen Molden, Srdjan Djurvoic, Ole A. Andreassen
Summary: Treatment resistant schizophrenia (TRS) is characterized by treatment failure with antipsychotics. A recent GWAS of TRS showed a polygenic architecture, but no significant loci were identified. Leveraging genetic overlap with BMI, the study identified 2 novel loci for TRS and improved polygenic prediction. These findings provide insights into TRS, metabolic dysfunction, and antipsychotic treatment.
PSYCHIATRY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Aashita Batra, Lawrence M. M. Chen, Zihan Wang, Carine Parent, Irina Pokhvisneva, Sachin Patel, Robert D. D. Levitan, Michael J. J. Meaney, Patricia Pelufo Silveira
Summary: The study reveals that genetic background moderates the impact of early adversity on childhood impulsivity, with specific genes showing significant association with nervous system development and cognitive decline.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
R. A. N. Soares, G. Vargas, M. M. M. Muniz, M. A. M. Soares, A. Canovas, F. Schenkel, E. J. Squires
Summary: The study conducted a meta-analysis on differential gene expression in the liver of dairy cows under different metabolic states, identifying key genes associated with negative energy balance, subclinical, and clinical ketosis, providing further insight into the biological mechanisms underlying these metabolic conditions in dairy cattle.
JOURNAL OF DAIRY SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nathaniel S. Thomas, Jessica E. Salvatore, Sally I-Chun Kuo, Fazil Aliev, Vivia V. McCutcheon, Jacquelyn M. Meyers, Kathleen K. Bucholz, Sarah J. Brislin, Grace Chan, Howard J. Edenberg, Chella Kamarajan, John R. Kramer, Samuel Kuperman, Gayathri Pandey, Martin H. Plawecki, Marc A. Schuckit, Danielle M. Dick
Summary: This study tested whether the childhood/adolescent home environment mediates genetic risk for alcohol problems across generations within families. The results showed that parental relationship discord and divorce partially mediated the transmission of genetic risk for alcohol problems from parents to children, predicting earlier ages of regular drinking, intoxication, greater lifetime maximum drinks, and more lifetime AUD criteria in European ancestry families. However, there was no evidence of indirect effects of parental alleles via relationship discord or divorce on offspring alcohol outcomes in African ancestry families.
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Substance Abuse
Jessica E. Salvatore, Sara Larsson Lonn, Jan Sundquist, Kenneth S. Kendler, Kristina Sundquist
Summary: This study found that the genotype of a spouse is associated with addiction-related outcomes. The risk of developing drug use disorder is influenced by the spouse's genetic makeup, independent of potential environmental factors. This suggests a connection between the spouse's genotype and the individual's risk for drug use disorder.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Victoria Rice Carlisle, Olivia M. Maynard, Darren Bagnall, Matthew Hickman, Jon Shorrock, Kyla Thomas, Joanna Kesten
Summary: The UK government's emphasis on recovery may be leading to high attrition rates in opioid agonist treatment (OAT). Through interviews with OAT users and service providers, the study identified three key themes affecting treatment journeys: a broken system, power struggles, and filling the void. The findings underscore the importance of prioritizing treatment retention, addressing stigma, and developing targeted interventions.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Geography
Jonathan D. Beacham, David M. Evans
Summary: The adverse consequences of contemporary agri-food relations have resulted in calls for fundamental systemic change. This article revisits debates from two decades ago and argues that integrating consumption into agri-food scholarship is crucial in the current context. The article suggests that recent advances in consumption studies and shifts in food politics offer potential for renewing perspectives on production and consumption.
SOCIOLOGIA RURALIS
(2023)
Review
Substance Abuse
Chrianna Bharat, Paige Webb, Zachary Wilkinson, Rebecca McKetin, Jason Grebely, Michael Farrell, Adam Holland, Matthew Hickman, Lucy Thi Tran, Brodie Clark, Amy Peacock, Shane Darke, Jih-Heng Li, Louisa Degenhardt
Summary: This study aimed to comprehensively examine the agreement between self-reported and biologically measured illicit drug use across different populations, settings, and drug classes. Through a systematic search, data from 207 eligible studies were extracted. The results showed high overall agreement (> 0.79) between self-report and biological testing, suggesting that both methods provide reliable measures of illicit drug use.
Article
Substance Abuse
Kasun Rathnayake, Paul A. Agius, Bernadette Ward, Matthew Hickman, Lisa Maher, Mark Stoove, Joseph S. Doyle, Margaret Hellard, Anna Wilkinson, Brendan Quinn, Sione Crawford, Keith Sutton, Paul Dietze
Summary: The study found that COVID-19 public health measures in Victoria state, Australia, were associated with increases in the price of methamphetamine and decreases in its use frequency, especially during the period of the most intense restrictions. It was also observed that although prices decreased after the restrictions were lifted, they remained higher than pre-COVID-19 levels.
Article
Substance Abuse
Samantha Colledge-Frisby, Nicola Jones, Louisa Degenhardt, Matthew Hickman, Prianka Padmanathan, Thomas Santo Jr, Michael Farrell, Natasa Gisev
Summary: This study examined the incidence of self-harm and suicide among people receiving opioid agonist treatment (OAT), and the impact of different periods of OAT exposure. The study found that the rates of self-harm and suicide were elevated during the initiation and cessation of OAT.
DRUG AND ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
James White, Laurence Moore, Rebecca Cannings-John, Jemma Hawkins, Chris Bonell, Matthew Hickman, Stanley Zammit, Linda Adara
Summary: Adolescence is a crucial period for exploring gender identity, and gender minority individuals are vulnerable to mental health problems due to stigmatization. A study found that gender minority students had significantly higher odds of experiencing depressive symptoms, anxiety, and auditory hallucinations compared to cisgender students. Therefore, appropriate support and services should be provided to address the mental health needs of gender minority high-school students.
JOURNAL OF ADOLESCENT HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Eesha Sharma, G. S. Ravi, Keshav Kumar, Kandavel Thennarasu, Jon Heron, Matthew Hickman, Nilakshi Vaidya, Bharath Holla, Madhavi Rangaswamy, Urvakhsh Meherwan Mehta, Murali Krishna, Amit Chakrabarti, Debashish Basu, Subodh Bhagyalakshmi Nanjayya, Rajkumar Lenin Singh, Roshan Lourembam, Kalyanaraman Kumaran, Rebecca Kuriyan, Sunita Simon Kurpad, Kamakshi Kartik, Kartik Kalyanram, Sylvane Desrivieres, Gareth Barker, Dimitri Papadopoulos Orfanos, Mireille Toledano, Meera Purushottam, Rose Dawn Bharath, Pratima Murthy, Sanjeev Jain, Gunter Schumann, Vivek Benegal
Summary: This study is based on the cVEDA study, which assessed cognitive abilities in over 8000 individuals aged 6-23 years in India. The findings suggest that both executive and social cognitive abilities continue to develop into adulthood. Developmental trajectories showed maturation and stabilization in increasing order of complexity, from working memory to inhibitory control to cognitive flexibility. Wealth index had the largest influence on developmental change, while sex differences were prominent in certain cognitive abilities and childhood adversity had a negative influence.
ASIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Nilakshi Vaidya, Bharath Holla, Jon Heron, Eesha Sharma, Yuning Zhang, Gwen Fernandes, Udita Iyengar, Alex Spiers, Anupa Yadav, Surajit Das, Sanjit Roy, Chirag K. Ahuja, Gareth J. Barker, Debasish Basu, Rose Dawn Bharath, Matthew Hickman, Sanjeev Jain, Kartik Kalyanram, Kamakshi Kartik, Murali Krishna, Ghattu Krishnaveni, Kalyanaraman Kumaran, Rebecca Kuriyan, Pratima Murthy, Dimitri Papadopoulos Orfanos, Meera Purushottam, Sunita Simon Kurpad, Lenin Singh, Roshan Singh, B. N. Subodh, Mireille Toledano, Henrik Walter, Sylvane Desrivieres, Amit Chakrabarti, Vivek Benegal, Gunter Schumann
Summary: This cohort study shows that low-level arsenic exposure is associated with impairments in executive function and has characterized the underlying brain mechanisms. These impairments are exacerbated by risk factors such as poor nutrition and poverty. The study calls for reexamination of safe levels of arsenic exposure and suggests improvements in nutrition and socioeconomic conditions as potential ways to mitigate the harmful consequences.
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Mallory Stephenson, Jon Heron, Kaitlin Bountress, Matthew Hickman, Kenneth S. S. Kendler, Alexis C. C. Edwards
Summary: This study examines the effects of parental alcohol consumption on adolescent and young adult children, finding that parental drinking indirectly contributes to the development of alcohol use disorder (AUD) in young adulthood, primarily through adolescent alcohol consumption. These findings underscore the importance of parental drinking in the development of alcohol use and problems during adolescence and young adulthood.
JOURNAL OF ADOLESCENCE
(2023)
Review
Infectious Diseases
Sandra Bivegete, Anna L. McNaughton, Adam Trickey, Zak Thornton, Becky Scanlan, Aaron G. Lim, Lina Nerlander, Hannah Fraser, Josephine G. Walker, Matthew Hickman, Peter Vickerman, Helen Johnson, Erika Duffell, Ellen Brooks-Pollock, Hannah Christensen
Summary: The prevalence of hepatitis B virus is low in the general population in most European countries, with higher rates among risk populations such as migrants and people in prison. Screening and treatment should be targeted towards these high-risk groups.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Lucy Yardley, Sarah Denford, Atiya Kamal, Tom May, Jo M. M. Kesten, Clare E. French, Dale Weston, G. James Rubin, Jeremy Horwood, Matthew Hickman, Richard Amlot, Isabel Oliver
Summary: A lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic is that we need to extend existing best practice for intervention development by integrating state-of-the-art methods of coproducing public health interventions and evaluating their effectiveness. The Agile Co-production and Evaluation (ACE) framework is proposed as a way to rapidly develop and test interventions through a combination of co-production methods and large-scale evaluation. There is a need for further research to refine and validate methods in different public health contexts.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Lindsey A. Hines, Hannah J. Jones, Matthew Hickman, Michael Lynskey, Laura Howe, Stan Zammit, Jon Heron
Summary: This study aimed to explore the association between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and the timing and frequency of cannabis use in adolescence. The findings showed that individuals with 4 or more ACEs, particularly those with parental substance use or abuse, were at a higher risk of problematic adolescent cannabis use. Therefore, reducing ACEs may help reduce cannabis use among adolescents.
LANCET PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Review
Psychiatry
Louisa Degenhardt, Brodie Clark, Georgina Macpherson, Oscar Leppan, Suzanne Nielsen, Emma Zahra, Briony Larance, Jo Kimber, Daniel Martino-Burke, Matthew Hickman, Michael Farrell
Summary: This systematic review and meta-analysis compared the effects of buprenorphine and methadone in the treatment of opioid dependence. The study found that methadone had better treatment retention rates compared to buprenorphine, but there were few significant differences in other primary and secondary outcomes. These findings emphasize the importance of interventions to improve treatment retention, consideration of client-centered factors (such as client preference) when selecting between buprenorphine and methadone, and harmonization of data collection and reporting to strengthen future synthesis.