Genome-wide association analysis identifies 13 new risk loci for schizophrenia

Schizophreniais an idiopathic mental disorder with a heritable component and a substantial public health impact. We conducted a multi-stage genome-wide association study(GWAS) for schizophreniabeginning with a Swedish national sample (5,001 cases and 6,243 controls) followed by meta-Analysis with previous schizophreniaGWAS (8,832 cases and 12,067 controls) and finally by replication of SNPs in 168 genomic regions in independent samples (7,413 cases, 19,762 controls and 581 parent-offspring trios). We identified 22 loci associated at genome-wide significance; 13 of these are new, and 1 was previously implicated in bipolar disorder. Examination of candidate genes at these loci suggests the involvement of neuronal calcium signaling. We estimate that 8,300 independent, mostly common SNPs (95% credible intervalof 6,300-10,200 SNPs) contribute to risk for schizophreniaand that these collectively account for at least 32% of the variance in liability. Common genetic variation has an important role in the etiology of schizophrenia, and larger studies will allow more detailed understanding of this disorder.