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Polygenic risk scores cannot make their mark on psychiatry without considering epigenetics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 September 2023

Diane C. Gooding Open the ORCID record for Diane C. Gooding [Opens in a new window]  and
Anthony P. Auger
Diane C. Gooding
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA dgooding@wisc.edu; https://drdianecgooding.com apauger@wisc.edu; https://augerlab.labs.wisc.edu Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
Anthony P. Auger
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA dgooding@wisc.edu; https://drdianecgooding.com apauger@wisc.edu; https://augerlab.labs.wisc.edu Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA Department of Endocrinology and Reproductive, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA Physiology, and Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
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Abstract

We generally agree with Burt's thesis. However, we note that the author did not discuss epigenetics, the study of how the environment can alter gene structure and function. Given epigenetic mechanisms, the utility of polygenic risk scores (PRS) is limited in studies of development and mental illness. Finally, in this commentary we expand upon the risks of reliance upon PRSs.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 46 , 2023 , e216
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press

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