Abstract
To identify the genomic regions that confer risk and protection for major depressive disorder (MDD) in humans, large-scale studies are needed. Such studies should collect multiple phenotypes, DNA, and ideally, biological material that allows gene expression analysis, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic studies. In this paper, we briefly review linkage studies of MDD and then describe the large-scale nationwide biological sample collection in Dutch twin families from the Netherlands Twin Register (NTR) and in participants in the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA). Within these studies, 1862 participants with a diagnosis of MDD and 1857 controls at low liability for MDD have been selected for genome-wide genotyping by the US Foundation for the National Institutes of Health Genetic Association Information Network. Stage 1 genome-wide association results are scheduled to be accessible before the end of 2007. Genome-wide association results are open-access and can be viewed at the dbGAP web portal (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). Approved users can download the genotype and phenotype data, which have been made available as of 9 October 2007.
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Acknowledgements
We would like to acknowledge support from NWO: genetic basis of anxiety and depression (904-61-090); resolving cause and effect in the association between exercise and well-being (904-61-193); twin-family database for behavior genomics studies (480-04-004); twin research focusing on behavior (400-05-717), Center for Medical Systems Biology (NWO Genomics); Spinozapremie (SPI 56-464-14192); Centre for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR-VU); genomewide analyses of European twin and population cohorts (EU/QLRT-2001-01254); genome scan for neuroticism (NIMH R01 MH059160); Geestkracht program of ZonMW (10-000-1002); matching funds from universities and mental health care institutes involved in NESDA (GGZ Buitenamstel-Geestgronden, Rivierduinen, University Medical Center Groningen, GGZ Lentis, GGZ Friesland, GGZ Drenthe). Major funding for this project is from the Genetic Association Information Network of the Foundation for the US National Institutes of Health, a public–private partnership between the NIH and Pfizer Inc., Affymetrix Inc. and Abbott Laboratories.
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Boomsma, D., Willemsen, G., Sullivan, P. et al. Genome-wide association of major depression: description of samples for the GAIN Major Depressive Disorder Study: NTR and NESDA biobank projects. Eur J Hum Genet 16, 335–342 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejhg.5201979
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejhg.5201979
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