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FRIMEDBIO-Fri prosj.st. med.,helse,biol

Understanding development of mental health problems in the population utilizing large-scale health data and novel molecular genetic methods

Alternative title: Bruk av store datakilder og nye analysemetoder for å forstå utviklingen av psykiske problemer i befolkningen

Awarded: NOK 10.1 mill.

The main purpose of this project is to gain new knowledge about how both genetic and environmental factors contribute to individual differences in neuropsychological development and mental health, using large data sources and advanced analysis methods. The project utilizes data from over 100,000 children and their parents from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Study (MoBa), including information about genetic factors. By combining this data with information from several national registries and using advanced analysis methods, researchers will have a unique opportunity to investigate neurodevelopment and mental health from birth to adolescence. Neurodevelopmental and mental health conditions are influenced by a range of genetic variants, each with small effects, but collectively contributing to explaining a significant portion of predisposition. Using data from large international collaborative projects, we will calculate genetic predisposition scores for ADHD, autism, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression. We will examine in which life stages this genetic predisposition is expressed in behavior and health, and whether the expression differs for boys and girls. Increased understanding of the interaction between genetic predisposition and environmental factors will be central. The results from this study can inform research on early identification of neurodevelopmental and mental health conditions so that tailored support can be provided at an earlier stage.

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The main objective of the project is to deliver new knowledge about how genetic and environmental risk factors contribute to the development of mental health problems, including the identification of causal pathways between modifiable environmental factors and mental health outcomes. We will leverage novel molecular genetic approaches and longitudinal data from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort study, which includes information on a broad range of health related domains from pregnancy onwards on over 100,000 children and their mothers and fathers as well as genome-wide genotype data. Additional information will be obtained by linkage to several national registries. This unique data source will be combined with data on polygenetic risk for five severe mental disorders from large international consortia. The large sample size and the broad range of measures will enable us to address limitations in previous research, and to investigate areas not previously accessible. We will study the development of mental disorders, signs and symptoms of psychopathology and a broad range of behavioural and cognitive traits from early childhood through adolescence and adulthood, identifying common and specific genetic and environmental risk factors across age and sex. The interplay between genes and environment will be examined, and the causal relationships between environmental risk factors and associated mental disorders will be investigated. The results may have profound implications for the design of more effective preventive strategies and the development of new therapeutic targets. Early identification of symptoms, signs and traits that predate clinical disorders can help clinicians intervene at an earlier stage and thereby improve prognosis. New knowledge about the influence of genetic and environmental risk factors may also have impact on the way mental disorders are classified.

Publications from Cristin

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Funding scheme:

FRIMEDBIO-Fri prosj.st. med.,helse,biol

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