Genome-wide association analyses of post-traumatic stress disorder and its symptom subdomains in the Million Veteran Program.

Abstract

We conducted genome-wide association analyses in over 250,000 participants of European and African ancestry from the Million Veteran Program using electronic health record-validated posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis and quantitative symptom phenotypes. Applying genome-wide multiple testing correction, we identified three significant loci in European case-control analyses and 15 loci in quantitative symptom analyses. Genomic structural equation modeling indicated tight coherence of a PTSD symptom factor that shares genetic variance with a distinct internalizing (mood-anxiety-neuroticism) factor. Partitioned heritability indicated enrichment in several cortical and subcortical regions, and imputed genetically regulated gene expression in these regions was used to identify potential drug repositioning candidates. These results validate the biological coherence of the PTSD syndrome, inform its relationship to comorbid anxiety and depressive disorders, and provide new considerations for treatment.