Genetic Effects on Environmental Vulnerability to Disease

While much research has attempted to show direct linear relations between genes and disorder, scientists have been discouraged by inconsistent findings based on this simple gene–phenotype approach. An alternative approach is to incorporate information about the environment. The gene–environment interaction approach focuses on the circumstances in which there is an environmental determinant of disease but where genes influence susceptibility to that environmental factor.
Genetic Effects on Environmental Vulnerability to Disease is based on the final meeting of the Novartis Foundation Symposium Series (#293 Understanding How Gene Environment Interactions Work to Predict Disorder). Contributions from geneticists, physicians, oncologists, biologists, statisticians, epidemiologists, psychiatrists and psychologists address:
· how physiological (mechanistic) measures can be better integrated into epidemiological cohort studies
· how best to characterise subjects’ vulnerability versus resilience by moving beyond genetic main effects
· how gene hunters can benefit from recruiting samples selected for known exposures
· how environmental pathogens can be used as tools for gene hunting
· how to deal with potential spurious (statistical) interactions, and
· how genes can help explain fundamental demographic properties of disorders such as sex distribution or age effects.
Interwoven with transcripts of the lively discussions among researchers, the contents of the book offer a cutting–edge review of the methodological issues prevailing in this complex, multi–disciplinary field.
A glossary of technical terms helps facilitate understanding across the different disciplines involved, and Sir Michael Rutter’s introduction and concluding remarks contribute to presenting scientific issues in an interesting, easily accessible manner.
This book will be of interest to epidemiologist, gene ticists, developmental biologists, and researchers in psychiatric disorders, obesity, diabetes, cancer, respiratory diseases and cardiovascular disease

Spis treści:
1. Michael Rutter
Introduction: whither gene–environment interactions?
2. Rudolf Uher
Gene–environment interaction: overcoming methodological challenges
Discussion
3. Marco Battaglia, Cecilia Marino, Michel Maziade, Massimo Molteni and Francesca D’Amato
Gene–environment interaction and behavioural disorders: a developmental perspective based on endophenotypes
Discussion
4. Naomi R. Wray, William L. Coventry, Michael R. James, Grant W. Montgomery, Lindon J. Eaves and Nicholas G. Martin
Use of monozygotic twins to investigate the relationship between 5HTTLPR genotype, depression and stressful life events: an application of Item Response Theory
Discussion
Appendix
General discussion I
5. Harold Snieder, Xiaoling Wang, Vasiliki Lagou, Brenda W. J. H. Penninx, Harriëtte Riese and Catharina A. Hartman
Role of gene–stress interactions in gene–finding studies
Discussion
6. Kenneth A. Dodge
Practice and public policy in the era of gene–environment interactions
Discussion
7. Kristi B. Adamo and Frédérique Tesson
Gene–environment interaction and the metabolic syndrome
Discussion
General discussion II
8. Stephen P. Robertson and Richie Poulton
Longitudinal studies of gene–environment interaction in common diseases—good value for money?
Discussion
9. Kee–Seng Chia
Gene–environment interactions in breast cancer
Discussion
10. Malak Kotb, Nourtan Abdeltawab, Ramy Aziz, Sarah Rowe, Robert W. Williams and Lu Lu
Unbiased forward genetics and systems biology approaches to understanding how gene–environment interactions work to predict susceptibility and outcomes of infections
Discussion
11. Steven R. Kleeberger and Hye–Youn Cho
Gene–environment interactions in environmental lung diseases
Discussion
General discussion III
12. Fernando D. Martinez
Gene–environment interaction in complex diseases: asthma as an illustrative case
Discussion
13. Michael Rutter
Conclusions: taking stock and looking ahead
Glossary
Index of contributors
Subject index


Okładka tylna:
While much research has attempted to show direct linear relations between genes and disorder, scientists have been discouraged by inconsistent findings based on this simple gene–phenotype approach. An alternative approach is to incorporate information about the environment. The gene–environment interaction approach focuses on the circumstances in which there is an environmental determinant of disease but where genes influence susceptibility to that environmental factor.
Genetic Effects on Environmental Vulnerability to Disease is based on the final meeting of the Novartis Foundation Symposium Series (#293 Understanding How Gene Environment Interactions Work to Predict Disorder). Contributions from geneticists, physicians, oncologists, biologists, statisticians, epidemiologists, psychiatrists and psychologists address:
· how physiological (mechanistic) measures can be better integrated into epidemiological cohort studies
· how best to characterise subjects’ vulnerability versus resilience by moving beyond genetic main effects
· how gene hunters can benefit from recruiting samples selected for known exposures
· how environmental pathogens can be used as tools for gene hunting
· how to deal with potential spurious (statistical) interactions, and
· how genes can help explain fundamental demographic properties of disorders such as sex distribution or age effects.
Interwoven with transcripts of the lively discussions among researchers, the contents of the book offer a cutting–edge review of the methodological issues prevailing in this complex, multi–disciplinary field.
A glossary of technical terms helps facilitate understanding across the different disciplines involved, and Sir Michael Rutter’s introduction and concluding remarks contribute to presenting scientific issues in an interesting, easily accessible manner.
This book will be of interest to epidemiologist, geneticists, developmental biologists, and researchers in psychiatric disorders, obesity, diabetes, cancer, respiratory diseases and cardiovascular disease