Browsing by Author "Nurnberger, John, Jr."

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    A randomized proof-of-mechanism trial applying the 'fast-fail' approach to evaluating κ-opioid antagonism as a treatment for anhedonia
    (Springer Nature, 2020) Krystal, Andrew D.; Pizzagalli, Diego A.; Smoski, Moria; Mathew, Sanjay J.; Nurnberger, John, Jr.; Lisanby, Sarah H.; Iosifescu, Dan; Murrough, James W.; Yang, Hongqiu; Weiner, Richard D.; Calabrese, Joseph R.; Sanacora, Gerard; Hermes, Gretchen; Keefe, Richard S. E.; Song, Allen; Goodman, Wayne; Szabo, Steven T.; Whitton, Alexis E.; Gao, Keming; Potter, William Z.; Psychiatry, School of Medicine
    The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) 'fast-fail' approach seeks to improve too-often-misleading early-phase drug development methods by incorporating biomarker-based proof-of-mechanism (POM) testing in phase 2a. This first comprehensive application of the fast-fail approach evaluated the potential of κ-opioid receptor (KOR) antagonism for treating anhedonia with a POM study determining whether robust target engagement favorably impacts the brain circuitry hypothesized to mediate clinical effects. Here we report the results from a multicenter, 8-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial in patients with anhedonia and a mood or anxiety disorder (selective KOR antagonist (JNJ-67953964, 10 mg; n = 45) and placebo (n = 44)). JNJ-67953964 significantly increased functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) ventral striatum activation during reward anticipation (primary outcome) as compared to placebo (baseline-adjusted mean: JNJ-67953964, 0.72 (s.d. = 0.67); placebo, 0.33 (s.d. = 0.68); F(1,86) = 5.58, P < 0.01; effect size = 0.58 (95% confidence interval, 0.13-0.99)). JNJ-67953964, generally well tolerated, was not associated with any serious adverse events. This study supports proceeding with assessment of the clinical impact of target engagement and serves as a model for implementing the 'fast-fail' approach.
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    Common biological networks underlie genetic risk for alcoholism in African- and European-American populations
    (Wiley, 2013) Kos, Mark Z.; Yan, Jia; Dick, Danielle M.; Agrawal, Arpana; Bucholz, Kathleen K.; Rice, John P.; Johnson, Eric O.; Schuckit, Marc; Kuperman, Sam; Kramer, John; Goate, Alison M.; Tischfield, Jay A.; Foroud, Tatiana; Nurnberger, John, Jr.; Hesselbrock, Victor; Porjesz, Bernice; Bierut, Laura J.; Edenberg, Howard J.; Almasy, Laura; Medical and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine
    Alcohol dependence (AD) is a heritable substance addiction with adverse physical and psychological consequences, representing a major health and economic burden on societies worldwide. Genes thus far implicated via linkage, candidate gene and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) account for only a small fraction of its overall risk, with effects varying across ethnic groups. Here we investigate the genetic architecture of alcoholism and report on the extent to which common, genome-wide SNPs collectively account for risk of AD in two US populations, African-Americans (AAs) and European-Americans (EAs). Analyzing GWAS data for two independent case-control sample sets, we compute polymarker scores that are significantly associated with alcoholism (P = 1.64 × 10(-3) and 2.08 × 10(-4) for EAs and AAs, respectively), reflecting the small individual effects of thousands of variants derived from patterns of allelic architecture that are population specific. Simulations show that disease models based on rare and uncommon causal variants (MAF < 0.05) best fit the observed distribution of polymarker signals. When scoring bins were annotated for gene location and examined for constituent biological networks, gene enrichment is observed for several cellular processes and functions in both EA and AA populations, transcending their underlying allelic differences. Our results reveal key insights into the complex etiology of AD, raising the possibility of an important role for rare and uncommon variants, and identify polygenic mechanisms that encompass a spectrum of disease liability, with some, such as chloride transporters and glycine metabolism genes, displaying subtle, modifying effects that are likely to escape detection in most GWAS designs.
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    Correction to: Selective kappa-opioid antagonism ameliorates anhedonic behavior: evidence from the Fast-fail Trial in Mood and Anxiety Spectrum Disorders (FAST-MAS)
    (Springer Nature, 2021) Pizzagalli, Diego A.; Smoski, Moria; Ang, Yuen-Siang; Whitton, Alexis E.; Sanacora, Gerard; Mathew, Sanjay J.; Nurnberger, John, Jr.; Lisanby, Sarah H.; Iosifescu, Dan V.; Murrough, James W.; Yang, Hongqiu; Weiner, Richard D.; Calabrese, Joseph R.; Goodman, Wayne; Potter, William Z.; Krystal, Andrew D.; Psychiatry, School of Medicine
    Correction to: Neuropsychopharmacology 10.1038/s41386-020-0738-4, published online 16 June 2020 In this article a conflict of interest was missing. The co-author Sanjay J. Mathew served as a consultant to Alkermes. The original article has been corrected. The original article can be found online at 10.1038/s41386-020-0738-4.
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    A GABRA2 Polymorphism Improves a Model for Prediction of Drinking Initiation
    (Elsevier, 2017-09) Kuperman, Samuel; Chan, Grace; Kramer, John; Wetherill, Leah; Acion, Laura; Edenberg, Howard J.; Foroud, Tatiana M.; Nurnberger, John, Jr.; Agrawal, Arpana; Anokhin, Andrey; Brooks, Andrew; Hesselbrock, Victor; Hesselbrock, Michie; Schuckit, Marc; Tischfield, Jay; Liu, Xiangtao; Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, IU School of Medicine
    Background Survival analysis was used to explore the addition of a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and covariates (sex, interview age, and ancestry) on a previously published model's ability to predict onset of drinking. A SNP variant of rs279871, in the chromosome 4 gene encoding gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor (GABRA2), was selected due to its associations with alcoholism in young adults and with behaviors that increased risk for early drinking. Methods A subsample of 674 adolescents (ages 14–17) participating in the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA) was examined using a previously derived Cox proportional hazards model containing: 1) number of non-drinking related conduct disorder (CD) symptoms, 2) membership in a high-risk alcohol-dependent (AD) family, 3) most best friends drank (MBFD), 4) Achenbach Youth Self Report (YSR) externalizing score, and 5) YSR social problems score. The above covariates along with the SNP variant of GABRA2, rs279871, were added to this model. Five new prototype models were examined. The most parsimonious model was chosen based on likelihood ratio tests and model fit statistics. Results The final model contained four of the five original predictors (YSR social problems score was no longer significant and hence dropped from subsequent models), the three covariates, and a recessive GABRA2 rs279871 TT genotype (two copies of the high-risk allele containing thymine). The model indicated that adolescents with the high-risk TT genotype were more likely to begin drinking than those without this genotype. Conclusions The joint effect of the gene (rs279871 TT genotype) and environment (MBFD) on adolescent alcohol initiation is additive, but not interactive, after controlling for behavior problems (CD and YSR externalizing score). This suggests that the impact of the high-risk TT genotype on the onset of drinking is affected by controlling for peer drinking and does not include genotype-by-environment interactions.
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    Genetic and neurophysiological correlates of the age of onset of alcohol use disorders in adolescents and young adults
    (Springer, 2013) Chorlian, David B.; Rangaswamy, Madhavi; Manz, Niklas; Wang, Jen-Chyong; Dick, Danielle; Almasy, Laura; Bauer, Lance; Bucholz, Kathleen; Foroud, Tatiana; Hesselbrock, Victor; Kang, Sun J.; Kramer, John; Kuperman, Sam; Nurnberger, John, Jr.; Rice, John; Schuckit, Marc; Tischfield, Jay; Edenberg, Howard J.; Goate, Alison; Bierut, Laura; Porjesz, Bernice; Medical and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine
    Discrete time survival analysis was used to assess the age-specific association of event-related oscillations (EROs) and CHRM2 gene variants on the onset of regular alcohol use and alcohol dependence. The subjects were 2,938 adolescents and young adults ages 12-25. Results showed that the CHRM2 gene variants and ERO risk factors had hazards which varied considerably with age. The bulk of the significant age-specific associations occurred in those whose age of onset was under 16. These associations were concentrated in those subjects who at some time took an illicit drug. These results are consistent with studies which associate greater rates of alcohol dependence among those who begin drinking at an early age. The age specificity of the genetic and neurophysiological factors is consistent with recent studies of adolescent brain development, which locate an interval of heightened vulnerability to substance use disorders in the early to mid teens.
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    How Phenotype and Developmental Stage Affect the Genes We Find: GABRA2 and Impulsivity
    (Cambridge University Press, 2013) Dick, Danielle M.; Aliev, Fazil; Latendresse, Shawn; Porjesz, Bernice; Schuckit, Marc; Rangaswamy, Madhavi; Hesselbrock, Victor; Edenberg, Howard; Nurnberger, John, Jr.; Agrawal, Arpana; Bierut, Laura; Wang, Jen; Bucholz, Kathy; Kuperman, Samuel; Kramer, John; Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine
    Context: The detection and replication of genes involved in psychiatric outcome has been notoriously difficult. Phenotypic measurement has been offered as one explanation, although most of this discussion has focused on problems with binary diagnoses. Objective: This article focuses on two additional components of phenotypic measurement that deserve further consideration in evaluating genetic associations: (1) the measure used to reflect the outcome of interest, and (2) the developmental stage of the study population. We focus our discussion of these issues around the construct of impulsivity and externalizing disorders, and the association of these measures with a specific gene, GABRA2. Design, setting, and participants: Data were analyzed from the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism Phase IV assessment of adolescents and young adults (ages 12-26; N = 2,128). Main outcome measures: Alcohol dependence, illicit drug dependence, childhood conduct disorder, and adult antisocial personality disorder symptoms were measured by psychiatric interview; Achenbach youth/adult self-report externalizing scale; Zuckerman Sensation-Seeking scale; Barratt Impulsivity scale; NEO extraversion and consciousness. Results: GABRA2 was associated with subclinical levels of externalizing behavior as measured by the Achenbach in both the adolescent and young adult samples. Contrary to previous associations in adult samples, it was not associated with clinical-level DSM symptom counts of any externalizing disorders in these younger samples. There was also association with sensation-seeking and extraversion, but only in the adolescent sample. There was no association with the Barratt impulsivity scale or conscientiousness. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the pathway by which GABRA2 initially confers risk for eventual alcohol problems begins with a predisposition to sensation-seeking early in adolescence. The findings support the heterogeneous nature of impulsivity and demonstrate that both the measure used to assess a construct of interest and the age of the participants can have profound implications for the detection of genetic associations.