Featured Publications
Bi-ancestral depression GWAS in the Million Veteran Program and meta-analysis in >1.2 million individuals highlight new therapeutic directions
Levey DF, Stein MB, Wendt FR, Pathak GA, Zhou H, Aslan M, Quaden R, Harrington KM, Nuñez YZ, Overstreet C, Radhakrishnan K, Sanacora G, McIntosh AM, Shi J, Shringarpure SS, Concato J, Polimanti R, Gelernter J. Bi-ancestral depression GWAS in the Million Veteran Program and meta-analysis in >1.2 million individuals highlight new therapeutic directions. Nature Neuroscience 2021, 24: 954-963. PMID: 34045744, PMCID: PMC8404304, DOI: 10.1038/s41593-021-00860-2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTranscriptome-wide association studyMillion Veteran ProgramTranscriptome-wide association study (TWAS) analysisGenomic risk lociComplex psychiatric traitsGenetic architectureRisk lociGene expressionAssociation studiesLikely pathogenicityPsychiatric traitsVeteran ProgramNew therapeutic directionEuropean ancestryNew insightsAncestryUK BiobankAfrican ancestrySubstantial replicationExpressionLarge independent cohortsGWASTherapeutic directionsGenesLociGenome-wide meta-analysis of problematic alcohol use in 435,563 individuals yields insights into biology and relationships with other traits
Zhou H, Sealock JM, Sanchez-Roige S, Clarke TK, Levey DF, Cheng Z, Li B, Polimanti R, Kember RL, Smith RV, Thygesen JH, Morgan MY, Atkinson SR, Thursz MR, Nyegaard M, Mattheisen M, Børglum AD, Johnson EC, Justice AC, Palmer AA, McQuillin A, Davis LK, Edenberg HJ, Agrawal A, Kranzler HR, Gelernter J. Genome-wide meta-analysis of problematic alcohol use in 435,563 individuals yields insights into biology and relationships with other traits. Nature Neuroscience 2020, 23: 809-818. PMID: 32451486, PMCID: PMC7485556, DOI: 10.1038/s41593-020-0643-5.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRegulatory genomic regionsGenome-wide association studiesNovel risk lociEuropean ancestry individualsPolygenic risk score analysisIndependent risk variantsGenetic architectureGenomic regionsRisk lociAssociation studiesGenetic relationshipsRisk genesGenetic correlationsPsychiatric traitsRisk variantsRisk score analysisTraitsGenetic heritabilityYields insightsBiobank samplesMendelian randomizationGenesLociBiologyHeritability
2024
A genome-wide investigation into the underlying genetic architecture of personality traits and overlap with psychopathology
Gupta P, Galimberti M, Liu Y, Beck S, Wingo A, Wingo T, Adhikari K, Kranzler H, Stein M, Gelernter J, Levey D. A genome-wide investigation into the underlying genetic architecture of personality traits and overlap with psychopathology. Nature Human Behaviour 2024, 1-15. PMID: 39134740, DOI: 10.1038/s41562-024-01951-3.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPersonality traitsPsychiatric traitsBidirectional effectsGenetic architectureHuman personality traitsGenetic correlation analysisGene-based association testsGenome-wide significant lociNeuroticismAgreeablenessGenome-wide association studiesGenome-wide association study meta-analysisMental illnessGenome-wide investigationAssociation TestComplex human traitsProteome-wide analysisAnxietyDepressionExtraversionConscientiousnessExpression of genesNovel lociSignificant lociTranscriptome-wide
2023
Profiling neuronal methylome and hydroxymethylome of opioid use disorder in the human orbitofrontal cortex
Rompala G, Nagamatsu S, Martínez-Magaña J, Nuñez-Ríos D, Wang J, Girgenti M, Krystal J, Gelernter J, Hurd Y, Montalvo-Ortiz J. Profiling neuronal methylome and hydroxymethylome of opioid use disorder in the human orbitofrontal cortex. Nature Communications 2023, 14: 4544. PMID: 37507366, PMCID: PMC10382503, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40285-y.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsOpioid use disorderMulti-omics findingsGene expression patternsCo-methylation analysisGene expression profilesMulti-omics profilingGene networksDNA methylationNeuronal methylomesDNA hydroxymethylationMethylomic analysisExpression patternsExpression profilesEpigenetic disturbancesUse disordersPsychiatric traitsOrbitofrontal cortexOpioid-related drugsPostmortem orbitofrontal cortexEnvironmental factorsDrug interaction analysisOUD treatmentHuman orbitofrontal cortexOpioid signalingInteraction analysis
2022
Genome-Wide Investigation of Maximum Habitual Alcohol Intake in US Veterans in Relation to Alcohol Consumption Traits and Alcohol Use Disorder
Deak JD, Levey DF, Wendt FR, Zhou H, Galimberti M, Kranzler HR, Gaziano JM, Stein MB, Polimanti R, Gelernter J, Muralidhar S, Moser J, Deen J, Gaziano J, Beckham J, Chang K, Tsao P, Luoh S, Casas J, Churby L, Whitbourne S, Brewer J, Brophy M, Selva L, Shayan S, Cho K, Pyarajan S, DuVall S, Connor T, Argyres D, Aslan M, Stephens B, Concato J, Gelernter J, Gleason T, Huang G, Koenen K, Marx C, Radhakrishnan K, Schork N, Stein M, Zhao H, Kaufman J, Nunez Y, Pietrzak R, Beck D, Cissell S, Crutchfield P, Lance W, Cheung K, Li Y, Sun N, Chen Q, Rajeevan N, Sayward F, Gagnon D, Harrington K, Quaden R, O'Leary T, Ramoni R. Genome-Wide Investigation of Maximum Habitual Alcohol Intake in US Veterans in Relation to Alcohol Consumption Traits and Alcohol Use Disorder. JAMA Network Open 2022, 5: e2238880. PMID: 36301540, PMCID: PMC9614582, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.38880.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGenome-wide association studiesGenome-wide significant lociGenomic structural equation modelingSignificant lociAlcohol traitsAssociation studiesAfrican ancestry participantsGenome-wide investigationAncestry-specific genome-wide association studiesGenetic correlationsPsychiatric traitsLinkage disequilibrium score regressionGenetic associationStrong genetic correlationSingle nucleotide variantsGenetic architectureGenetic association studiesGenetic lociTop associationsNegative rgEuropean ancestry participantsNucleotide variantsFunctional variantsScore regressionTraits
2020
Multivariate genome-wide analysis of education, socioeconomic status and brain phenome
Wendt FR, Pathak GA, Lencz T, Krystal JH, Gelernter J, Polimanti R. Multivariate genome-wide analysis of education, socioeconomic status and brain phenome. Nature Human Behaviour 2020, 5: 482-496. PMID: 33349686, PMCID: PMC8068566, DOI: 10.1038/s41562-020-00980-y.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPsychosocial factorsSocioeconomic statusPsychiatric disordersBipolar disorderGenetic riskNeuronal cell typesMajor depressionTourette syndromeBrain morphologyDisordersImaging phenotypesCell typesRisky behaviorsPsychopathologyGenetic overlapRiskGenetic discoveriesPsychiatric traitsStatusSyndrome
2018
GWAS of lifetime cannabis use reveals new risk loci, genetic overlap with psychiatric traits, and a causal effect of schizophrenia liability
Pasman JA, Verweij KJH, Gerring Z, Stringer S, Sanchez-Roige S, Treur JL, Abdellaoui A, Nivard MG, Baselmans BML, Ong JS, Ip HF, van der Zee MD, Bartels M, Day FR, Fontanillas P, Elson SL, the 23andMe Research Team, de Wit H, Davis LK, MacKillop J, The Substance Use Disorders Working Group of the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium, International Cannabis Consortium, Derringer JL, Branje SJT, Hartman CA, Heath AC, van Lier PAC, Madden PAF, Mägi R, Meeus W, Montgomery GW, Oldehinkel AJ, Pausova Z, Ramos-Quiroga JA, Paus T, Ribases M, Kaprio J, Boks MPM, Bell JT, Spector TD, Gelernter J, Boomsma DI, Martin NG, MacGregor S, Perry JRB, Palmer AA, Posthuma D, Munafò MR, Gillespie NA, Derks EM, Vink JM. GWAS of lifetime cannabis use reveals new risk loci, genetic overlap with psychiatric traits, and a causal effect of schizophrenia liability. Nature Neuroscience 2018, 21: 1161-1170. PMID: 30150663, PMCID: PMC6386176, DOI: 10.1038/s41593-018-0206-1.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAdolescentAdultAgedAged, 80 and overCell Adhesion MoleculesDatabases, GeneticFemaleGene Expression RegulationGenetic Predisposition to DiseaseGenome-Wide Association StudyGenotypeHumansMaleMarijuana AbuseMendelian Randomization AnalysisMental HealthMiddle AgedPolymorphism, Single NucleotideRisk-TakingSchizophreniaYoung AdultConceptsGenome-wide association studiesNew risk lociLarge genome-wide association studiesGene-based testsIndependent single nucleotide polymorphismsDifferent expression levelsSignificant genetic correlationsHealth-related traitsSingle nucleotide polymorphismsEtiology of cannabisHeritable traitRisk lociSignificant genesAssociation studiesGenetic correlationsPsychiatric traitsGenetic variantsNucleotide polymorphismsGenetic overlapExpression levelsTraitsGenesNew insightsSchizophrenia riskMendelian randomization analysisGenomewide Association Study of Alcohol Dependence and Related Traits in a Thai Population
Gelernter J, Zhou H, Nuñez YZ, Mutirangura A, Malison RT, Kalayasiri R. Genomewide Association Study of Alcohol Dependence and Related Traits in a Thai Population. Alcohol Clinical And Experimental Research 2018, 42: 861-868. PMID: 29460428, PMCID: PMC5916336, DOI: 10.1111/acer.13614.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGenomewide association studiesAssociation studiesRisk genesAldehyde dehydrogenase 2Prior biological informationAfrican ancestry populationsRelated traitsSame geneBiological informationAlcohol dehydrogenasesSignificant pleiotropyDehydrogenase BGenesFunctional variantsPsychiatric traitsGenomewide significant associationPleiotropy analysisTraitsAncestry populationsFirst genomewide association studyPleiotropyDehydrogenase 2Null variants
2017
Genome-Wide Association Studies of a Broad Spectrum of Antisocial Behavior
Tielbeek JJ, Johansson A, Polderman TJC, Rautiainen MR, Jansen P, Taylor M, Tong X, Lu Q, Burt AS, Tiemeier H, Viding E, Plomin R, Martin NG, Heath AC, Madden PAF, Montgomery G, Beaver KM, Waldman I, Gelernter J, Kranzler HR, Farrer LA, Perry JRB, Munafò M, LoParo D, Paunio T, Tiihonen J, Mous SE, Pappa I, de Leeuw C, Watanabe K, Hammerschlag AR, Salvatore JE, Aliev F, Bigdeli TB, Dick D, Faraone SV, Popma A, Medland SE, Posthuma D. Genome-Wide Association Studies of a Broad Spectrum of Antisocial Behavior. JAMA Psychiatry 2017, 74: 1242-1250. PMID: 28979981, PMCID: PMC6309228, DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2017.3069.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsNovel genetic risk variantsSingle nucleotide polymorphism-based heritabilityGenome-wide association studiesGenome-wide association dataCausal genetic variantsGenome-wide genotypesPolygenic risk score analysisGenetic architectureGenetic risk variantsInverse genetic correlationPromising lociAssociation studiesBiological pathwaysPleiotropic associationsQuantitative phenotypesGenetic correlationsPsychiatric traitsAssociation dataGenetic effectsRisk variantsRisk score analysisGenetic variantsGenetic originDiscovery sampleTraits
2014
Genetics of Complex Traits in Psychiatry
Gelernter J. Genetics of Complex Traits in Psychiatry. Biological Psychiatry 2014, 77: 36-42. PMID: 25444161, PMCID: PMC4282183, DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2014.08.005.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsComplex traitsNext-generation high-throughput sequencingGenome-wide association studiesHigh-throughput sequencingSingle nucleotide polymorphismsEpigenetic effectsRisk allelesAssociation studiesExpression dataMultiple risk allelesPsychiatric geneticsPsychiatric traitsNumber variantsNucleotide polymorphismsTraitsGeneticsNew mutationsTrait riskAllelesEpistasisMinor effectMethylationKind of variationVariantsSequencingSLC6A4 polymorphism, population genetics, and psychiatric traits
Gelernter J. SLC6A4 polymorphism, population genetics, and psychiatric traits. Human Genetics 2014, 133: 459-461. PMID: 24385047, PMCID: PMC3992709, DOI: 10.1007/s00439-013-1412-2.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2013
Genome-wide association study of alcohol dependence:significant findings in African- and European-Americans including novel risk loci
Gelernter J, Kranzler HR, Sherva R, Almasy L, Koesterer R, Smith AH, Anton R, Preuss UW, Ridinger M, Rujescu D, Wodarz N, Zill P, Zhao H, Farrer LA. Genome-wide association study of alcohol dependence:significant findings in African- and European-Americans including novel risk loci. Molecular Psychiatry 2013, 19: 41-49. PMID: 24166409, PMCID: PMC4165335, DOI: 10.1038/mp.2013.145.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAdaptor Proteins, Signal TransducingAlcohol DehydrogenaseAlcoholismAminopeptidasesBlack or African AmericanChromosome MappingCohort StudiesEukaryotic Initiation FactorsFemaleFollow-Up StudiesGenetic Predisposition to DiseaseGenome-Wide Association StudyGenotypeHumansLIM Domain ProteinsMaleMicrofilament ProteinsMitochondrial ProteinsPolymorphism, Single NucleotidePsychiatric Status Rating ScalesUnited StatesVesicular Transport ProteinsWhite PeopleConceptsRisk lociGWS associationsGenome-wide significant associationGenome-wide association studiesADH gene clusterSchizophrenia risk lociNovel risk lociGene expression evidenceGene clusterExpression evidenceLocus mappingNovel lociAD GWASBiological convergenceChromosome 4Chromosome 5Same locusAD risk lociAssociation studiesEnzyme genesRisk genesLociPsychiatric traitsGenesNovel associations