Background
Psychiatric disorders rank fifth in global causes of disease, contributing nearly 20% to non-fatal disease burden. Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are associated with a substantial genetic risk, with genetic estimated to explain 60-80% of variability in these disorders. Although depression is less heritable, there are significant overlaps between these three disorders, with bipolar disorder often considered the intermediary between depression and schizophrenia. Schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression have been shown to share genetic and biological factors that contribute to their development and course but as of yet the biological aetiology of these disorders is not clearly known.
Aim
This research project aims to further develop our understanding of psychotic and mood disorders through the lens of genetic analyses. By utilising a range of statistical techniques, this project can develop towards triangulating evidence from a variety of sources and explore biological mechanisms that are both shared and unique between these disorders.