EVIDENCE FOR A CHROMOSOME 2P13-14 SCHIZOPHRENIA SUSCEPTIBILITY LOCUS IN FAMILIES FROM PALAU, MICRONESIA

A large multiplex schizophrenia pedigree ascertained from the Micrones ian nation of Palau was genotyped with 406 microsatellite DNA markers evenly distributed throughout the genome. Assuming autosomal dominant inheritance, the highest genome-wide lod scores were found for DNA loc i mapping to 2p13-14; the maximum lod score was 2.17 (theta = 0.05) at D2S441. A nonparametric APM analysis was also suggestive at D2S441 (A PM score = 2.96, P = 0.011). Of the 14 affected cases in this extended family, eight share a large haplotype in this region spanning similar to 11 cM. When 16 other families containing 65 schizophrenic cases we re typed in a follow-up study of this region, the maximum lod score re mained positive (maximum at D2S441 1.69, theta = 0.20). APM results al so remained positive at D2S441 for all 17 families (APM score = 4.87, P = 0.0006). The linkage and haplotype sharing results provide suggest ive evidence for a 20 locus predisposing to schizophrenia in a subset of families in the Palauan population.