Investigation of the interplay between genetic and environmental risk factors for smoking behaviour

• Applicant: Dr. Jens Treutlein
• Subject Area: Molecular Biology and Physiology of Neurons and Glial Cells
• Term: from 2012 to 2014
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 223650122

Smoking is one of the largest preventable health risks worldwide, and passive smoking is also harmful to health. Smoking behaviour (i. e. smoking initiation, cigarettes per day, nicotine dependency, smoking abstinence) is influenced by genetic and environmental factors. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) performed since 2007 have been the first investigations to identify robustly replicable genetic variants associated with smoking behaviour in a systematic manner. In the project described in the present application, these and other previously reported genetic risk variants will be genotyped. The combined effects of these genetic risk variants and known risk factors (i. e. age at smoking initiation, psychiatric disorder, family history of psychiatric disorder, level of education, birth cohort, gender) on smoking behaviour will then be investigated in two already established and extensively characterized cohorts from the general population (N=1143 and N=1199). Our aim is to identify combinations of risk factors that strongly increase the risk of tobacco use and dependent smoking behaviour. This should facilitate the development of preventive programmes for high risk groups.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Participating Persons: Professor Dr. Markus M. Nöthen; Professorin Dr. Marcella Rietschel