The overarching goal of the consortium is to conduct a rigorous set of analyses of GWAS data for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, autism, bipolar disorder, major depression disorder, and schizophrenia, utilizing the knowledge and capabilities of the contributing groups to accomplish analyses that can help move the entire field of mental health genetic research forward. There are three Specific Aims of this collaboration: (1) Disorder-specific meta-analyses, (2) Cross-disorder analyses, and (3) Comorbidity meta-analyses.

The work of the PGC has been supported by grants from NIH and from other sources, including an FNIH grant funded by Eli Lilly and Company that supported statistical analyses.  The Consortium has discovered several new genetic variants related to schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.  The relevant papers, which were published in the October, 2011 issue of the journal Nature Genetics, paper on schizophrenia >> and paper on bipolar disorder >>.

For additional perspective, see the following blog entry on the NIMH website: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/about/director/2011/psychiatric-genetics-more-pieces-of-the-puzzle.shtml