Frontiers in Psychiatry (Aug 2022)

Enhancing neuroimaging genetics through meta-analysis for Tourette syndrome (ENIGMA-TS): A worldwide platform for collaboration

  • Peristera Paschou,
  • Yin Jin,
  • Kirsten Müller-Vahl,
  • Harald E. Möller,
  • Renata Rizzo,
  • Pieter J. Hoekstra,
  • Veit Roessner,
  • Nanette Mol Debes,
  • Yulia Worbe,
  • Andreas Hartmann,
  • Pablo Mir,
  • Pablo Mir,
  • Danielle Cath,
  • Irene Neuner,
  • Irene Neuner,
  • Irene Neuner,
  • Heike Eichele,
  • Chencheng Zhang,
  • Katarzyna Lewandowska,
  • Alexander Munchau,
  • Julius Verrel,
  • Richard Musil,
  • Tim J. Silk,
  • Colleen A. Hanlon,
  • Emily D. Bihun,
  • Valerie Brandt,
  • Andrea Dietrich,
  • Natalie Forde,
  • Christos Ganos,
  • Deanna J. Greene,
  • Chunguang Chu,
  • Michel J. Grothe,
  • Michel J. Grothe,
  • Tamara Hershey,
  • Piotr Janik,
  • Jonathan M. Koller,
  • Juan Francisco Martin-Rodriguez,
  • Juan Francisco Martin-Rodriguez,
  • Karsten Müller,
  • Stefano Palmucci,
  • Adriana Prato,
  • Shukti Ramkiran,
  • Shukti Ramkiran,
  • Shukti Ramkiran,
  • Federica Saia,
  • Natalia Szejko,
  • Renzo Torrecuso,
  • Zeynep Tumer,
  • Zeynep Tumer,
  • Anne Uhlmann,
  • Tanja Veselinovic,
  • Tomasz Wolańczyk,
  • Jade-Jocelyne Zouki,
  • Pritesh Jain,
  • Apostolia Topaloudi,
  • Mary Kaka,
  • Zhiyu Yang,
  • Petros Drineas,
  • Sophia I. Thomopoulos,
  • Tonya White,
  • Dick J. Veltman,
  • Lianne Schmaal,
  • Dan J. Stein,
  • Jan Buitelaar,
  • Barbara Franke,
  • Odile van den Heuvel,
  • Neda Jahanshad,
  • Paul M. Thompson,
  • Kevin J. Black

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.958688
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13

Abstract

Read online

Tourette syndrome (TS) is characterized by multiple motor and vocal tics, and high-comorbidity rates with other neuropsychiatric disorders. Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), major depressive disorder (MDD), and anxiety disorders (AXDs) are among the most prevalent TS comorbidities. To date, studies on TS brain structure and function have been limited in size with efforts mostly fragmented. This leads to low-statistical power, discordant results due to differences in approaches, and hinders the ability to stratify patients according to clinical parameters and investigate comorbidity patterns. Here, we present the scientific premise, perspectives, and key goals that have motivated the establishment of the Enhancing Neuroimaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis for TS (ENIGMA-TS) working group. The ENIGMA-TS working group is an international collaborative effort bringing together a large network of investigators who aim to understand brain structure and function in TS and dissect the underlying neurobiology that leads to observed comorbidity patterns and clinical heterogeneity. Previously collected TS neuroimaging data will be analyzed jointly and integrated with TS genomic data, as well as equivalently large and already existing studies of highly comorbid OCD, ADHD, ASD, MDD, and AXD. Our work highlights the power of collaborative efforts and transdiagnostic approaches, and points to the existence of different TS subtypes. ENIGMA-TS will offer large-scale, high-powered studies that will lead to important insights toward understanding brain structure and function and genetic effects in TS and related disorders, and the identification of biomarkers that could help inform improved clinical practice.

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