| Objects: 1. To investigate if neurocognitive deficits would be suitable to beused as a quantitative "endophenotype" for susceptibility gene searching of schizophrenia by analyzing familial cluster in first episode schizophrenic patients and their first degree relatives; 2. By using case-control and family-based association designs, to analyze the relationship between eight candidate genes on 5q31 and schizophrenia; 3. By using selected neurocognitive function assessments as quantitative "endophentypic" traits to study the association between these candidate genes and neurocognitive functions of schizophrenia.Methods: 1. 232 first-episode schizophrenic patients, 355 parents, 273offspring and siblings and 472 normal controls were assessed by using a battery of neuropsychological tests, which includes information, arithmetic, digital symbol, digital span, block design, logical memory, visual memory, Stroop test, Trail Making test A and B, verbal fluency, tower of HANOI, modified version of Wisconsin Card Sorting Tests and CPT (continuous performance test). The differences of neurocognitive functions between schizophrenic patients, offspring and siblings, parents and normal controls were compared by using Multiple Linear Mixed Model, and then the neurocognitive function which met criteria of "endophenotype" were later used in family-based association analysis. 2. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers from eight candidate genes on 5q31 were analyzed using single and haplotypic analysis methods in 142 patients and 449 normal controls by using COCAPHASE program and Chi-squared tests, in 142 schizophrenic TRIOS by using PDTPHASE program.Results: 1.We found that first episode schizophrenic patients generallyperformed much worse on neuropsychological tests than normal controls, and the relatives of schizophrenic patients also had selective neurocognitive deficits. 2. Some of neurocognitive function showed different level in four different subjects groups: patients |
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