European Network of National Schizophrenia Networks Studying Gene-Environment Interactions, 2010-2015

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EU-GEI is a multi-national research collaboration that was funded for 5 years (1 May 2010–30 April 2015). This resource constitutes the largest and most extensive incidence and case–control study of psychosis ever conducted. The overall goal of the present this programme was to investigate the role of multiple environmental and genetic risk factors, and their interactions, in the development of psychotic disorders. Specifically, our aims were (1) to investigate the impact of hypothesized environmental exposures, measured at individual and area levels, on (a) risk of psychotic disorders, and (b) high rates of disorder in urban areas and in migrant and minority ethnic groups; and (2) to examine hypothesized (a) gene × environment interactions (GxE), and (b) environment × environment interactions (ExE) across the life course. Between 2010 and 2015, 2774 incident psychotic disorder cases were identified across 17 sites in 6 countries (UK, The Netherlands, France, Spain, Italy, Brazil) over 12.9 million person-years. Of these, 1130 cases underwent detailed assessment for case–control analyses alongside 1497 population-based controls. Data covered demographic, clinical, social, cognitive, and biological measures (including DNA via blood/cheek swab). Cases were adults aged 18-64 presenting with a first episode of psychosis in defined catchment areas, identified through systematic screening of mental health services, with exclusions for prior psychosis contact during the study period, organic/intoxication-related psychosis, and severe learning disability. Controls (18-64, catchment-area residents, no psychotic disorder) were recruited using random/quota sampling (with some oversampling and subsequent weighting), screened to exclude past/current psychosis, and none met criteria for psychotic disorder. The Data Collection is available from an external repository, under permission only access.

The European Network of National Schizophrenia Networks Studying Gene–Environment Interactions (EU-GEI) study comprises comprehensive data that allows for testing hypotheses about (1) variations in incidence within and between countries, including by urbanicity and minority ethnic groups; and (2) the role of multiple environmental and genetic risk factors, and their interactions, in the development of psychotic disorders.