Call for a transdisciplinary research effort targeting the molecular mediators of schizophrenia risk factors in response to socioeconomic conditions

presented by Annika Eriksson

Graduate Student, Bioinformatics and Computational BiologyOregon Health & Science Universityemail: erikssoa@ohsu.edu

Why schizophrenia?● Good model for nature-nurture interaction● Notable specific genetic and structural metrics● Both positive and negative symptoms overlap with other

diseases● Relatively easy to create animal models of disease

phenotypes● Need to understand for clinical purposes what best

course of treatment for individual cases

Social disadvantage• Reduced health care access• Poor housing• Inadequate nutrition• Low physical activity• Lack of green spaces• Reduced resources for children• Poor public school system• Exposure to violence• Social exclusion and isolation

W.H.O 2003; Lasky-Su, Faraone, Lange, & Tsuang 2007; Krabbendam, Hooker, Aleman

Development of a methodology

● Attention to experimental design

● Appropriate data analysis

● Emphasis on reproducibility

● Generalizable enough to apply to the study of other

disease states

In conclusionIn order to assess total influences on schizophrenia, we need to understand better which environmental factors contribute to genetic effects or provide buffers against these changes during early life.

How can we model the complex interactive relationship between biomedical characteristics and the experience of social defeat?

Thanks to Brittany Elmore, Graduate Student of Public Health at OHSU