A Posterior Probability of Linkage-Based Re-Analysis of Schizophrenia Data Yields Evidence of Linkage to Chromosomes 1 and 17

Publisher： Karger

E-ISSN： 1423-0062|62|1|47-54

ISSN： 0001-5652

Source： Human Heredity, Vol.62, Iss.1, 2006-10, pp. : 47-54

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Abstract

Objective: Linkage analysis using 22 Canadian pedigrees identified a promising schizophrenia candidate region on 1q23 with a maximum 2-point HLOD under a recessive model of 5.8 [Brzustowicz et al. 2000]. In the current study, we revisited this data set using a Bayesian linkage analysis technique, namely the posterior probability of linkage (PPL). Methods: The PPL has been developed as an alternative to traditional linkage analysis. It differs from both LOD scores and ‘non-parametric’ methods in that it directly measures the probability of linkage given the data, and incorporates prior genomic information. Results: As expected, PPL results for 1q23 supported the previously observed linkage, with an estimated multipoint PPL of 99.7%. However, the PPL supported two further results: a second peak on chromosome 1 at 1p13 with a multipoint with PPL of 70% and a chromosome 17 marker (D17S784 at 17q25) with a multipoint PPL of 44%. Conclusions: The PPL-based analysis presented has the advantage over other likelihood-based linkage methods in that it avoids maximization and produces a less complex view of the strength of evidence for linkage.