T58 - An Endo-Phenotype Approach To The Genetics Of Alcohol Dependence: A Genome Wide Association Study Of Fast BETA EEG In Families Of African Ancestry

Abstract

Background Fast beta (20-28 Hz) electroencephalogram (EEG) oscillatory activity may be a useful endophenotype for studying the genetics of disorders characterized by neural hyper-excitability, including substance use disorders (SUDs). However, the genetic underpinnings of fast beta EEG have not previously been studied in a population of African-American ancestry (AA), an understudied population in the genetics of addiction. Methods In a sample of 2,382 AA individuals from 482 families drawn from the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA), we performed a Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) on resting-state fast beta EEG power. To further characterize our genetic findings, we examined the functional and clinical/behavioral significance of GWAS variants. Results Ten correlated SNPs (r2>0.9) located in an intergenic region on chromosome 3q26 were associated with fast beta EEG power at p Discussion Converging data presented in this study provide support for the role of genetic variants within 3q26 in neural and behavioral disinhibition. These novel genetic findings highlight the importance of including AA populations in genetics research on SUDs, and the utility of the endophenotype approach in enhancing our understanding of mechanisms underlying addiction susceptibility.