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ABSTRACT: Background:Normal birth weight variation affects schizophrenia risk and cognitive performance in schizophrenia patients and healthy controls. Brain cortical anatomy is altered in psychotic disorders and in low birth weight subjects, but if birth weight variation relates to cortical morphology across the psychosis spectrum is not known.Methods:Magnetic Resonance Imaging brain scans and clinical-, neurocognitive-, and medical birth registry data were collected from 359 adults including patients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia (n = 90, mean age 29.4±10.2 [95% CI], 62% male), bipolar disorder (n = 79, age 29.4±11.8, 39% male) or other psychosis (n = 40, age 26.3±10.0, 56% male), and healthy controls (n = 140, age 30.8±12.0,53% male). We explored the relationship between whole-range birth weight variation and cortical surface area and thickness and their possible associations to cognitive performance.Results:Across all groups, lower birth weight was associated with smaller total surface area (t = 3.87, P = .0001), within specific regions of the temporal, parietal, and frontal cortex bilaterally. There were no associations between birth weight and cortical thickness, and no diagnosis by birth weight interaction effects on cortical thickness or surface area. Smaller cortical area (t = 2.50, P = .013) and lower birth weight (t = 2.53, P = .012) were significantly related to poorer working memory performance in all diagnostic groups except schizophrenia.Conclusion:Birth weight relates to adult cortical surface area, but not cortical thickness, in patients across the psychosis spectrum and in healthy controls. Cortical area appears to be a diagnosis-independent general marker of early neurodevelopment, with a dose-response association to normal birth weight variation.
Schizophrenia Bulletin 02/2013; · 8.80 Impact Factor
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Ole A Andreassen,
Srdjan Djurovic,
Wesley K Thompson,
Andrew J Schork,
Kenneth S Kendler,
Michael C O'Donovan,
Dan Rujescu,
Thomas Werge,
Martijn van de Bunt,
Andrew P Morris,
Mark I McCarthy, J Cooper Roddey,
Linda K McEvoy,
Rahul S Desikan,
Anders M Dale
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ABSTRACT: Several lines of evidence suggest that genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have the potential to explain more of the "missing heritability" of common complex phenotypes. However, reliable methods for identifying a larger proportion of SNPs are currently lacking. Here, we present a genetic-pleiotropy-informed method for improving gene discovery with the use of GWAS summary-statistics data. We applied this methodology to identify additional loci associated with schizophrenia (SCZ), a highly heritable disorder with significant missing heritability. Epidemiological and clinical studies suggest comorbidity between SCZ and cardiovascular-disease (CVD) risk factors, including systolic blood pressure, triglycerides, low- and high-density lipoprotein, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, and type 2 diabetes. Using stratified quantile-quantile plots, we show enrichment of SNPs associated with SCZ as a function of the association with several CVD risk factors and a corresponding reduction in false discovery rate (FDR). We validate this "pleiotropic enrichment" by demonstrating increased replication rate across independent SCZ substudies. Applying the stratified FDR method, we identified 25 loci associated with SCZ at a conditional FDR level of 0.01. Of these, ten loci are associated with both SCZ and CVD risk factors, mainly triglycerides and low- and high-density lipoproteins but also waist-to-hip ratio, systolic blood pressure, and body mass index. Together, these findings suggest the feasibility of using genetic-pleiotropy-informed methods for improving gene discovery in SCZ and identifying potential mechanistic relationships with various CVD risk factors.
The American Journal of Human Genetics 01/2013; · 10.60 Impact Factor
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Christian K Tamnes,
Kristine B Walhovd,
Anders M Dale,
Ylva Ostby,
Håkon Grydeland,
George Richardson,
Lars T Westlye, J Cooper Roddey,
Donald J Hagler,
Paulina Due-Tønnessen,
Dominic Holland,
Anders M Fjell
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ABSTRACT: Early-life development is characterized by dramatic changes, impacting lifespan function more than changes in any other period. Developmental origins of neurocognitive late-life functions are acknowledged, but detailed longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging studies of brain maturation and direct comparisons with aging are lacking. To these aims, a novel method was used to measure longitudinal volume changes in development (n=85, 8-22years) and aging (n=142, 60-91years). Developmental reductions exceeded 1% annually in much of cortex, more than double that seen in aging, with a posterior-to-anterior gradient. Cortical reductions were greater than subcortical during development, while the opposite held in aging. The pattern of lateral cortical changes was similar across development and aging, but the pronounced medial temporal reduction in aging was not precast in development. Converging patterns of change in adolescents and elderly, particularly in medial prefrontal areas, suggest that late developed cortices are especially vulnerable to atrophy in aging. A key question in future research will be to disentangle the neurobiological underpinnings for the differences and the similarities between brain changes in development and aging.
NeuroImage 12/2012; · 5.89 Impact Factor
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Kristine B Walhovd,
Anders M Fjell,
Timothy T Brown,
Joshua M Kuperman,
Yoonho Chung,
Donald J Hagler, J Cooper Roddey,
Matthew Erhart,
Connor McCabe,
Natacha Akshoomoff, [......],
B J Casey,
Linda Chang,
Thomas M Ernst,
Jean Frazier,
Jeffrey R Gruen,
Walter E Kaufmann,
Sarah S Murray,
Peter van Zijl,
Stewart Mostofsky,
Anders M Dale
[show abstract]
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ABSTRACT: It is now recognized that a number of cognitive, behavioral, and mental health outcomes across the lifespan can be traced to fetal development. Although the direct mediation is unknown, the substantial variance in fetal growth, most commonly indexed by birth weight, may affect lifespan brain development. We investigated effects of normal variance in birth weight on MRI-derived measures of brain development in 628 healthy children, adolescents, and young adults in the large-scale multicenter Pediatric Imaging, Neurocognition, and Genetics study. This heterogeneous sample was recruited through geographically dispersed sites in the United States. The influence of birth weight on cortical thickness, surface area, and striatal and total brain volumes was investigated, controlling for variance in age, sex, household income, and genetic ancestry factors. Birth weight was found to exert robust positive effects on regional cortical surface area in multiple regions as well as total brain and caudate volumes. These effects were continuous across birth weight ranges and ages and were not confined to subsets of the sample. The findings show that (i) aspects of later child and adolescent brain development are influenced at birth and (ii) relatively small differences in birth weight across groups and conditions typically compared in neuropsychiatric research (e.g., Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, schizophrenia, and personality disorders) may influence group differences observed in brain parameters of interest at a later stage in life. These findings should serve to increase our attention to early influences.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 11/2012; · 9.68 Impact Factor
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Anders M Fjell,
Kristine Beate Walhovd,
Timothy T Brown,
Joshua M Kuperman,
Yoonho Chung,
Donald J Hagler,
Vijay Venkatraman, J Cooper Roddey,
Matthew Erhart,
Connor McCabe, [......],
Jeffrey R Gruen,
Walter E Kaufmann,
Tal Kenet,
Jean Frazier,
Sarah S Murray,
Elizabeth R Sowell,
Peter van Zijl,
Stewart Mostofsky,
Terry L Jernigan,
Anders M Dale
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ABSTRACT: Self-regulation refers to the ability to control behavior, cognition, and emotions, and self-regulation failure is related to a range of neuropsychiatric problems. It is poorly understood how structural maturation of the brain brings about the gradual improvement in self-regulation during childhood. In a large-scale multicenter effort, 735 children (4-21 y) underwent structural MRI for quantification of cortical thickness and surface area and diffusion tensor imaging for quantification of the quality of major fiber connections. Brain development was related to a standardized measure of cognitive control (the flanker task from the National Institutes of Health Toolbox), a critical component of self-regulation. Ability to inhibit responses and impose cognitive control increased rapidly during preteen years. Surface area of the anterior cingulate cortex accounted for a significant proportion of the variance in cognitive performance. This finding is intriguing, because characteristics of the anterior cingulum are shown to be related to impulse, attention, and executive problems in neurodevelopmental disorders, indicating a neural foundation for self-regulation abilities along a continuum from normality to pathology. The relationship was strongest in the younger children. Properties of large-fiber connections added to the picture by explaining additional variance in cognitive control. Although cognitive control was related to surface area of the anterior cingulate independently of basic processes of mental speed, the relationship between white matter quality and cognitive control could be fully accounted for by speed. The results underscore the need for integration of different aspects of brain maturation to understand the foundations of cognitive development.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 11/2012; · 9.68 Impact Factor
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Trygve E Bakken, J Cooper Roddey,
Srdjan Djurovic,
Natacha Akshoomoff,
David G Amaral,
Cinnamon S Bloss,
B J Casey,
Linda Chang,
Thomas M Ernst,
Jeffrey R Gruen, [......],
Bruce Rosen,
Nitzah Gebhard,
Holly Manigan,
Jean Frazier,
David Kennedy,
Lauren Yakutis,
Michael Hill,
Jeffrey Gruen,
Joan Bosson-Heenan,
Heatherly Carlson
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ABSTRACT: Visual cortical surface area varies two- to threefold between human individuals, is highly heritable, and has been correlated with visual acuity and visual perception. However, it is still largely unknown what specific genetic and environmental factors contribute to normal variation in the area of visual cortex. To identify SNPs associated with the proportional surface area of visual cortex, we performed a genome-wide association study followed by replication in two independent cohorts. We identified one SNP (rs6116869) that replicated in both cohorts and had genome-wide significant association (P(combined) = 3.2 × 10(-8)). Furthermore, a metaanalysis of imputed SNPs in this genomic region identified a more significantly associated SNP (rs238295; P = 6.5 × 10(-9)) that was in strong linkage disequilibrium with rs6116869. These SNPs are located within 4 kb of the 5' UTR of GPCPD1, glycerophosphocholine phosphodiesterase GDE1 homolog (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), which in humans, is more highly expressed in occipital cortex compared with the remainder of cortex than 99.9% of genes genome-wide. Based on these findings, we conclude that this common genetic variation contributes to the proportional area of human visual cortex. We suggest that identifying genes that contribute to normal cortical architecture provides a first step to understanding genetic mechanisms that underlie visual perception.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 03/2012; 109(10):3985-90. · 9.68 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The relationship between neurodegeneration and the 2 hallmark proteins of Alzheimer's disease, amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau, is still unclear. Here, we examined 286 nondemented participants (107 cognitively normal older adults and 179 memory impaired individuals) who underwent longitudinal magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and lumbar puncture. Using mixed effects models, we investigated the relationship between longitudinal entorhinal cortex atrophy rate, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) p-tau(181p) and CSF Aβ(1-42) . We found a significant relationship between elevated entorhinal cortex atrophy rate and decreased CSF Aβ(1-42) only with elevated CSF p-tau(181p) . Our findings indicate that Aβ-associated volume loss occurs only in the presence of phospho-tau in humans at risk for dementia.
Annals of Neurology 10/2011; 70(4):657-61. · 11.09 Impact Factor
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Trygve E Bakken,
Cinnamon S Bloss, J Cooper Roddey,
Alexander H Joyner,
Lars M Rimol,
Srdjan Djurovic,
Ingrid Melle,
Kjetil Sundet,
Ingrid Agartz,
Ole A Andreassen,
Anders M Dale,
Nicholas J Schork
[show abstract]
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ABSTRACT: Cortical thickness is a highly heritable structural brain measurement, and reduced thickness has been associated with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and decreased cognitive performance among healthy control individuals. Identifying genes that contribute to variation in cortical thickness provides a means to elucidate some of the biological mechanisms underlying these diseases and general cognitive abilities.
To identify common genetic variants that affect cortical thickness in patients with schizophrenia, patients with bipolar disorder, and controls and to test these variants for association with cognitive performance.
A total of 597 198 single-nucleotide polymorphisms were tested for association with average cortical thickness in a genome-wide association study. Significantly associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms were tested for their effect on several measures of cognitive performance.
Four major hospitals in Oslo, Norway.
A total of 1054 case individuals and controls were analyzed in the genome-wide association study and follow-up cognitive study. The genome-wide association study included controls (n = 181) and individuals with DSM-IV -diagnosed schizophrenia spectrum disorder (n = 94), bipolar spectrum disorder (n = 97), and other psychotic and affective disorders (n = 49).
Cortical thickness measured with magnetic resonance imaging and cognitive performance as assessed by several neuropsychological tests.
Two closely linked genetic variants (rs4906844 and rs11633924) within the Prader-Willi and Angelman syndrome region on chromosome 15q12 showed a genome-wide significant association (P = 1.1 x 10(-8) with average cortical thickness and modest association with cognitive performance (permuted P = .03) specifically among patients diagnosed as having schizophrenia.
This genome-wide association study identifies a common genetic variant that contributes to the heritable reduction of cortical thickness in schizophrenia. These results highlight the usefulness of cortical thickness as an intermediate phenotype for neuropsychiatric diseases. Future independent replication studies are required to confirm these findings.
Archives of general psychiatry 08/2011; 68(8):781-90. · 12.26 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: A new technique for prospectively correcting head motion (called PROMO) during acquisition of high-resolution MRI scans has been developed to reduce motion artifacts. To evaluate the efficacy of PROMO, four T1-weighted image volumes (two with PROMO enabled, two uncorrected) were acquired for each of nine children. A radiologist, blind to whether PROMO was used, rated image quality and artifacts on all sagittal slices of every volume. These ratings were significantly better in scans collected with PROMO relative to those collected without PROMO (Mann-Whitney U test, P < 0.0001). The use of PROMO, especially in motion-prone patients, should improve the accuracy of measurements made for clinical care and research, and potentially reduce the need for sedation in children.
Pediatric Radiology 07/2011; 41(12):1578-82. · 1.67 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Motion artifacts pose significant problems for the acquisition and analysis of high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging data. These artifacts can be particularly severe when studying pediatric populations, where greater patient movement reduces the ability to clearly view and reliably measure anatomy. In this study, we tested the effectiveness of a new prospective motion correction technique, called PROMO, as applied to making neuroanatomical measures in typically developing school-age children. This method attempts to address the problem of motion at its source by keeping the measurement coordinate system fixed with respect to the subject throughout image acquisition. The technique also performs automatic rescanning of images that were acquired during intervals of particularly severe motion. Unlike many previous techniques, this approach adjusts for both in-plane and through-plane movement, greatly reducing image artifacts without the need for additional equipment. Results show that the use of PROMO notably enhances subjective image quality, reduces errors in Freesurfer cortical surface reconstructions, and significantly improves the subcortical volumetric segmentation of brain structures. Further applications of PROMO for clinical and cognitive neuroscience are discussed.
NeuroImage 10/2010; 53(1):139-45. · 5.89 Impact Factor
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Lars M Rimol,
Ingrid Agartz,
Srdjan Djurovic,
Andrew A Brown, J Cooper Roddey,
Anna K Kähler,
Morten Mattingsdal,
Lavinia Athanasiu,
Alexander H Joyner,
Nicholas J Schork,
Eric Halgren,
Kjetil Sundet,
Ingrid Melle,
Anders M Dale,
Ole A Andreassen
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ABSTRACT: Loss-of-function mutations in the genes associated with primary microcephaly (MCPH) reduce human brain size by about two-thirds, without producing gross abnormalities in brain organization or physiology and leaving other organs largely unaffected [Woods CG, et al. (2005) Am J Hum Genet 76:717-728]. There is also evidence suggesting that MCPH genes have evolved rapidly in primates and humans and have been subjected to selection in recent human evolution [Vallender EJ, et al. (2008) Trends Neurosci 31:637-644]. Here, we show that common variants of MCPH genes account for some of the common variation in brain structure in humans, independently of disease status. We investigated the correlations of SNPs from four MCPH genes with brain morphometry phenotypes obtained with MRI. We found significant, sex-specific associations between common, nonexonic, SNPs of the genes CDK5RAP2, MCPH1, and ASPM, with brain volume or cortical surface area in an ethnically homogenous Norwegian discovery sample (n = 287), including patients with mental illness. The most strongly associated SNP findings were replicated in an independent North American sample (n = 656), which included patients with dementia. These results are consistent with the view that common variation in brain structure is associated with genetic variants located in nonexonic, presumably regulatory, regions.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 01/2010; 107(1):384-8. · 9.68 Impact Factor
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Alexander H Joyner, Cooper Roddey J,
Cinnamon S Bloss,
Trygve E Bakken,
Lars M Rimol,
Ingrid Melle,
Ingrid Agartz,
Srdjan Djurovic,
Eric J Topol,
Nicholas J Schork,
Ole A Andreassen,
Anders M Dale
[show abstract]
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ABSTRACT: The gene MECP2 is a well-known determinant of brain structure. Mutations in the MECP2 protein cause microencephalopathy and are associated with several neurodevelopmental disorders that affect both brain morphology and cognition. Although mutations in MECP2 result in severe neurological phenotypes, the effect of common variation in this genetic region is unknown. We find that common sequence variations in a region in and around MECP2 show association with structural brain size measures in 2 independent cohorts, a discovery sample from the Thematic Organized Psychosis research group, and a replication sample from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. The most statistically significant replicated association (P < 0.025 in both cohorts) involved the minor allele of SNP rs2239464 with reduced cortical surface area, and the finding was specific to male gender in both populations. Variations in the MECP2 region were associated with cortical surface area but not cortical thickness. Secondary analysis showed that this allele was also associated with reduced surface area in specific cortical regions (cuneus, fusiform gyrus, pars triangularis) in both populations.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 08/2009; 106(36):15483-8. · 9.68 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: To use structural magnetic resonance (MR) images to identify a pattern of regional atrophy characteristic of mild Alzheimer disease (AD) and to investigate whether presence of this pattern prospectively can aid prediction of 1-year clinical decline and increased structural loss in mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
The study was conducted with institutional review board approval and compliance with HIPAA regulations. Written informed consent was obtained from each participant. High-throughput volumetric segmentation and cortical surface reconstruction methods were applied to MR images from 84 subjects with mild AD, 175 with MCI, and 139 healthy control (HC) subjects. Stepwise linear discriminant analysis was used to identify regions that best can aid discrimination of HC subjects from subjects with AD. A classifier trained on data from HC subjects and those with AD was applied to data from subjects with MCI to determine whether presence of phenotypic AD atrophy at baseline was predictive of clinical decline and structural loss.
Atrophy in mesial and lateral temporal, isthmus cingulate, and orbitofrontal areas aided discrimination of HC subjects from subjects with AD, with fully cross-validated sensitivity of 83% and specificity of 93%. Subjects with MCI who had phenotypic AD atrophy showed significantly greater 1-year clinical decline and structural loss than those who did not and were more likely to have progression to probable AD (annual progression rate of 29% for subjects with MCI who had AD atrophy vs 8% for those who did not).
Semiautomated, individually specific quantitative MR imaging methods can be used to identify a pattern of regional atrophy in MCI that is predictive of clinical decline. Such information may aid in prediction of patient prognosis and increase the efficiency of clinical trials.
Radiology 03/2009; 251(1):195-205. · 5.73 Impact Factor
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Linda K McEvoy,
Steven D Edland,
Dominic Holland,
Donald J Hagler, J Cooper Roddey,
Christine Fennema-Notestine,
David P Salmon,
Alain K Koyama,
Paul S Aisen,
James B Brewer,
Anders M Dale
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: We examined the improvement in statistical power that could be obtained in therapeutic trials for early (predementia) Alzheimer disease by constraining enrollment to individuals with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and an atrophy pattern on a screening magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan previously found to be predictive of clinical decline, or to individuals with MCI and the apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 genetic risk factor for Alzheimer disease. Treatable effects were defined as absolute change versus change relative to healthy controls (HCs). Data from 168 HC and 299 MCI participants were analyzed to determine sample sizes required to detect 25% slowing in mean rate of decline using global function, cognitive function, and structural measures as outcome variables. Reductions in estimated sample sizes of 10% to 43% were observed using the genetic enrichment strategy; reductions of 43% to 60% were observed with the neuroimaging enrichment strategy. Sample sizes needed to detect slowing in rate of atrophy in MCI relative to HC were dramatically larger than those needed to detect absolute change in atrophy rates. Constraining enrollment to MCI subjects with predictive atrophy on a screening MRI scan could improve the efficiency of clinical trials. Failure to take into account normal age-related changes risks under-powering trials designed to test disease-modifying properties of potential treatments.
Alzheimer disease and associated disorders 24(3):269-77. · 2.88 Impact Factor
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Trygve E. Bakken, J. Cooper Roddey,
Srdjan Djurovic,
Natacha Akshoomoff,
David G. Amaral,
Cinnamon S. Bloss,
B. J. Casey,
Linda Chang,
Thomas M. Ernst,
Jeffrey R. Gruen, [......],
Elizabeth R. Sowell,
Lars M. Rimol,
Morten Mattingsdal,
Ingrid Melle,
Ingrid Agartz,
Ole A. Andreassen,
Nicholas J. Schork,
Anders M. Dale,
for the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative,
Pediatric Imaging, Neurocognition, and Genetics Study
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Visual cortical surface area varies two- to threefold between human individuals, is highly heritable, and has been correlated
with visual acuity and visual perception. However, it is still largely unknown what specific genetic and environmental factors
contribute to normal variation in the area of visual cortex. To identify SNPs associated with the proportional surface area
of visual cortex, we performed a genome-wide association study followed by replication in two independent cohorts. We identified
one SNP (rs6116869) that replicated in both cohorts and had genome-wide significant association (Pcombined = 3.2 × 10−8). Furthermore, a metaanalysis of imputed SNPs in this genomic region identified a more significantly associated SNP (rs238295;
P = 6.5 × 10−9) that was in strong linkage disequilibrium with rs6116869. These SNPs are located within 4 kb of the 5′ UTR of GPCPD1, glycerophosphocholine phosphodiesterase GDE1 homolog (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), which in humans, is more highly expressed in occipital cortex compared with the remainder of cortex than 99.9% of genes
genome-wide. Based on these findings, we conclude that this common genetic variation contributes to the proportional area
of human visual cortex. We suggest that identifying genes that contribute to normal cortical architecture provides a first
step to understanding genetic mechanisms that underlie visual perception.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · 9.68 Impact Factor
