Department of Psychiatry
Family Studies Research ProgramThe Family Studies Research Program in Mount Sinai's Department of Psychiatry conducts studies directed toward better understanding and characterizing familial/genetic factors in psychiatric disorders through molecular genetic and genetic epidemiological techniques. At present, we have studies in the following: Alzheimer's DiseaseWe conduct genetic and molecular epidemiological studies directed at identifying genetically homogeneous subgroups of Alzheimer's disease patients (probands). Using clinical, demographic, neurochemical, and genetic features of the proband, the patterns of risk among family members of Alzheimer's disease probands are examined in an effort to identify distinct variants of the disorder. Our Program works closely with the Alzheimer Disease Research Program here at Mount Sinai, the James J. Peters VA Medical Center Program, Elmhurst, and the Jewish Home and Hospital for the Aged. SchizophreniaWe have drawn upon this department's strength in the characterization of the boundaries of the schizophrenia spectrum to carry out both clinical and molecular genetic investigations of schizophrenia. A major focus of our work involves the search for genes related to schizophrenia using genetic linkage and association (haplotype relative risk) study strategies. In particular, we are currently pursuing previously obtained evidence of genetic linkage for schizophrenia and related disorders on the short arm of chromosome 5 in a large pedigree from Puerto Rico. Additional studies focus on better identifying the clinical, personality, neurocognitive, and neuroanatomical characteristics of the relatives of schizophrenic probands. Autismith the generous support of the Seaver Foundation, the Family Studies Research Program works with Mount Sinai's Seaver Program for the Research in Autism. In an effort to identify a genetic linkage marker in autism, we are actively recruiting families where multiple members have autism or related disorders. We are collaborating with the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange (AGRE) project supported by the Cure Autism Now (CAN) Foundation. With AGRE we are collecting diagnostic data and DNA from all families with two or more affected members. Families who participate in our studies will also be included in the AGRE family database, which will be available to the entire scientific community. Contact InformationJeremy Silverman, Ph.D. Tel: (212) 824-7768 Christopher Smith, Ph.D.
Tel: (718) 584-9000 ext 6960 |