1-172 - The (epi)genetic structure of co-occurring forms of child and adolescent psychopathology

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Integrative Statement

Psychological disorders, whether treated as clinical diagnoses or continuous symptom dimensions, are highly associated. Evidence suggests that these disorders can be grouped into higher-order ‘externalizing’ (e.g. oppositional defiant disorder [ODD], substance use) and ‘internalizing’ factors (e.g. depression, anxiety) that largely reflect common biological and environmental influences. Yet, studies have also documented the existence of unique influences underlying specific psychopathologies, and even between sub-dimensions of a single disorder. Consequently, more work is needed to disentangle common vs unique influences associated with co-occurring forms of psychopathology.

The present symposium consists of three papers that investigated common vs unique genetic and epigenetic influences of correlated psychopathologies. All papers made use of genome-wide approaches, based on epidemiological birth cohorts. Paper 1, using a Genome-wide Complex Trait Analysis, reported that a general psychopathology factor showed a significant SNP heritability of 38% (SE=0.16, p=0.008). Paper 2 shows that DNA methylation patterns at birth prospectively associate with a common liability for substance use (cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana) in adolescence – and also associated with prenatal maternal smoking. Paper 3 investigated common vs unique DNA methylation markers associated with oppositional defiant disorder and the sub-dimensions of irritability and headstrong. Results showed that a larger number of loci associated with overall ODD as opposed to the sub-dimensions, which suggesting a shared liability for both irritability and headstrong.

The papers will be discussed by an expert of gene-environment associations.

Sub Unit

• Developmental Psychopathology

Chairs

• Edward D Barker, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neurscience, King's College London

• Charlotte A.M. Cecil, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London

Discussant

• Gordon Harold, University of Sussex

Individual Presentations

• The (epi-)genetics of a general psychopathology factor in children - Presenting Author: Alexander Neumann, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC; Irene Pappa, Erasmus MC; Ben Lahey, Departments of Health Studies and Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago; Marinus Van IJzendoorn, Leiden University; Henning Tiemeier, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC

• DNA methylation and substance use liability - Presenting Author: Charlotte A.M. Cecil, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London; Esther Walton, University of Bristol; Caroline L Relton, University of Bristol; Edward D Barker, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neurscience, King's College London

• ODD sub-dimensions of irritability and headstrong: Unique vs common epigenetic signatures - Presenting Author: Edward D Barker, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neurscience, King's College London; Charlotte A.M. Cecil, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London; Esther Walton, University of Bristol; Argyris Stringaris, National Institutes of Health, Bethseda Maryland (USA); Caroline L Relton, University of Bristol