Genome Screen in Familial Intracranial Aneurysm
Author Information
Author(s): Tatiana Foroud, Laura Sauerbeck, Robert Brown, Craig Anderson, Daniel Woo, Dawn Kleindorfer, Matthew L Flaherty, Ranjan Deka, Richard Hornung, Irene Meissner, Joan E Bailey-Wilson, Carl Langefeld, Guy Rouleau, Sander E Connolly, Dongbing Lai, Daniel L Koller, John Huston III, Joseph P Broderick
Primary Institution: Indiana University School of Medicine
Hypothesis
Is there a genetic component contributing to the risk of intracranial aneurysms in families with multiple affected members?
Conclusion
The study suggests that multiple genetic and environmental risk factors contribute to the susceptibility for intracranial aneurysms.
Supporting Evidence
- The study included 333 families, making it the largest linkage study of intracranial aneurysms reported to date.
- Significant evidence for a gene × smoking interaction was detected on chromosome 7p.
- The study found modest evidence of linkage to chromosomes 4q and 12p.
Takeaway
This study looked at families with brain aneurysms to see if genes play a role in causing them. It found that many different genes and lifestyle factors, like smoking, might be involved.
Methodology
A genome-wide SNP screen was performed in 333 families with multiple members having intracranial aneurysms, using linkage analysis to identify potential genetic factors.
Potential Biases
There may be a bias introduced by only offering MRA to higher-risk family members, which could skew the results towards environmental factors.
Limitations
The study's sample was heterogeneous, which may introduce variability in genetic susceptibility, and the MRA was only offered to higher-risk family members, potentially biasing results.
Participant Demographics
The majority of participants were Caucasian, non-Hispanic, with a significant proportion being female and having a history of smoking.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p ≤ 0.01
Statistical Significance
p ≤ 0.01
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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