Psychiatric Genotype/Phenotype Project Repository

The purpose of this project is to obtain DNA, brain imaging data, other biological samples (e.g., urine, serum), and a comprehensive clinical assessment on patients with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, bipolar disorder, major depression, and normal volunteer controls. Understanding the physical and genetic factors related to these disorders will help us make progress in fitting treatments to an individual's needs. Participants will take part in a detailed clinical assessment, two blood draws, and an MRI scan over two visits. Participants will also be asked to provide urine and saliva samples.

The links between psychiatric symptoms and underlying biological processes remain unclear at this time. Unipolar Major Depressive Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, and Schizophrenia are associated with major disruptions in functioning and quality of life. Understanding the causal physiological and genetic factors involved in each of these disorders would allow us to make great strides in tailoring treatment to the individual's needs. Because the etiology of these disorders are likely multifactorial in nature, a study examining a wide range of variables might best allow us to examine the interactions between different factors and to get a better sense of how genes and the brain interact to produce psychiatric disorder.