Risk variant of oligodendrocyte lineage transcription factor 2 is associated with reduced white matter integrity

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17 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The oligodendrocyte lineage transcription factor 2 (OLIG2) regulates the genesis of oligodendrocytes, the brain cells responsible for axonal myelination. Although it has been associated with psychiatric and neurological disorders, the impact of this gene on white matter integrity has never been investigated in humans. Using diffusion tensor imaging, we examined the effect of a single nucleotide polymorphism (rs1059004) in OLIG2 previously associated with reduced gene expression, and with psychiatric disorders on fractional anisotropy in 78 healthy subjects. We found that the risk allele (A) was associated with reduced white matter integrity in the corona radiata bilaterally. This is consistent with evidence that it is a schizophrenia susceptibility gene, and suggests that it may confer increased risk through an effect on neuroanatomical connectivity.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2025-2031
Number of pages7
JournalHuman Brain Mapping
Volume34
Issue number9
Early online date16 Apr 2012
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2013

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