Association of the Schizophrenia Risk Locus rs10866912 with Cerebral Volumes, Diet, and Psychosis in the UK Biobank

Background

Leading schizophrenia GWAS signals require evaluation of their pathological significance across diverse ancestries. rs10866912 reached genome-wide significance in our Indian ancestry GWAS of schizophrenia; its risk allele reduces expression of NAPRT, the rate-limiting enzyme in the brain’s principal NAD+-synthesis pathway, giving a single mechanistic basis for testing associations with brain structure, dietary niacin intake, and psychosis risk. We evaluated this SNP in a large European ancestry population for associations with regional brain volumes, niacin-rich food consumption, and psychotic disorder diagnosis.