The study of gene environment interactions in psychiatry: Limited gains at a substantial cost?
Open accessAbstract
There is an ever-increasing body of literature examining gene–environment interactions in psychiatry, reflecting a widespread belief that such studies will aid identification of novel risk factors for disease, increase understanding about underlying pathological mechanisms, and aid identification of high-risk groups for targeted interventions. In this article we discuss to what extent studies of gene–environment interactions are likely to lead to any such benefits in the future.
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Currently evidence that effects of cannabis differ according to variation at AKT1 is not robust.
“however there are substantial concerns around gene environment interaction studies (38,41), and currently evidence that effects of cannabis differ according to variation at AKT1 is not robust.”
From Association Between Cannabis and Psychosis: Epidemiologic Evidence (2016) · cites this paper as [38]
None of eight studies published since the Dunedin COMT finding replicate the interaction.
“None of eight studies published since then replicate this (e.g.see 37,38).”
From Association Between Cannabis and Psychosis: Epidemiologic Evidence (2016) · cites this paper as [38]
The 'Why study interactions?' section describes Caspi et al.'s original COMT–cannabis finding, but does not assess subsequent studies. Searches for eight studies and COMT replication found no passage in our copy stating that eight later studies failed to replicate it; the 'Costs of studying interactions' discussion of replication concerns a different interaction. (LLM, conf=0.75)
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- Authors
- Zammit, S., Wiles, N., & Lewis, G.
- Affiliations
- University of Bristol (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Zammit, S.
- Venue
- Psychological Medicine
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2009-09-24
- Volume
- 40
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 711-716
- ISSN
- 0033-2917 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-8978
- OpenAlex
- W2141945169
- Cited by
- 25
- References
- 30
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2018: 4 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 1.94
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Psychological Medicine (publishedVersion)
- Bristol Research (University of Bristol) (publishedVersion)
- ORCA Online Research @Cardiff (Cardiff University) (acceptedVersion)
- UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
- Explore Bristol Research (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic Associations and Epidemiology
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Health, Environment, Cognitive Aging
- Keywords
- gene-environment interaction, psychiatric genetics, psychiatric risk factors, disease mechanisms, high-risk groups, targeted interventions
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