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Polymorphisms within the neuronal cadherin (CDH2) gene are associated with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in a South African cohort

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Abstract

OCD is characterised by recurrent obsessions and compulsions that result in severe distress and increased risk for comorbidity. Recently published findings have indicated that the neuronal cadherin gene (CDH2) plays a role in the development of canine OCD, and led us to investigate the human ortholog, CDH2, in a human OCD cohort. Seven CDH2 polymorphisms were selected and genotyped in a South African Caucasian cohort of 234 OCD patients and 180 healthy controls using TaqMan assays. Polymorphisms were analysed in a single-locus and haplotypic context. Of the seven polymorphisms, two reached statistical significance for OCD under additive and codominant models of inheritance (rs1120154 and rs12605662). CDH2 SNP, rs1120154, C-allele carriers were found to be significantly associated with lower risk to develop OCD compared to TT-homozygotes (OR = 0.49; 95 % CI: 0.32–0.75; p < 0.001), and rs12605662 G-allele carriers were significantly associated with reduced risk OCD compared to TT-homozygotes (OR = 0.46; 95 % CI: 0.30–0.71; p < 0.001), Furthermore, a single haplotype was found to infer an increased risk for OCD diagnosis (*rs8087457-rs1148374: A-T). Polymorphisms within the CDH2 gene are associated with susceptibility to OCD in a South African cohort.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge the National Research Foundation (NRF) for funding.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa

    N. W. McGregor & S. M. J. Hemmings

  2. Department of Genetics, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa

    N. W. McGregor

  3. MRC Unit on Anxiety and Stress Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa

    N. W. McGregor & C. Lochner

  4. Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

    D. J. Stein

Authors
  1. N. W. McGregor
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  2. C. Lochner
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  3. D. J. Stein
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  4. S. M. J. Hemmings
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Correspondence to N. W. McGregor.

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McGregor, N.W., Lochner, C., Stein, D.J. et al. Polymorphisms within the neuronal cadherin (CDH2) gene are associated with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in a South African cohort. Metab Brain Dis 31, 191–196 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11011-015-9693-x

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