Key Role in Global Genetics Study

The Australian Schizophrenia Research Bank has played a key role in a global study that investigated genetic variants associated with schizophrenia. The study replicated findings from previous genetic research and made new discoveries.

This is the Bank's first contribution to an international study, which involved over 51,000 individuals, and marks an important step, as one of the new genetic discoveries may be implicated in contributing to particular brain abnormalities in schizophrenia. When cases of bipolar disorder were added to the study sample some genetic findings indicated shared genetic susceptibility for both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

The study by the Schizophrenia Psychiatric Genome-Wide Association Study Consortium used blood samples from a large number of international projects, including the Australian Schizophrenia Research Bank, and is published in Nature Genetics. The findings identified five genomic loci that are newly associated with schizophrenia and confirmed two genomic loci previously identified in schizophrenia.

"Our involvement in this global replication study is a first for the Australian Schizophrenia Research Bank, and one that marks the beginning of a more extensive contribution to the international research community," said Prof. Vaughan Carr, CEO of the Schizophrenia Research Institute.

The Australian Schizophrenia Research Bank was established to provide researchers with a unique set of data including blood samples, brain scans and clinical information to further research into schizophrenia within Australia and across the world.

"As the Australian Schizophrenia Research Bank continues to grow, the scientists and clinicians at the Schizophrenia Research Institute, along with our colleagues and affiliates in other institutes and organisations across the globe, are realising the significance of having access to such a valuable resource as this." Prof. Carr said.