Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences
Edinburgh Neuroscience and CCBS logos

Complex trait genetics

We aim to dissect the genetic factors that cause or predispose people to brain diseases and conditions.

Pinpointing the genes

Chromosome analysis

Our studies of the genetics of brain disorders are focussed around psychiatric disorders, brain vascular disease and neurodegenerative conditions (multiple sclerosis and motor neurone disease).

A key approach is to study multiply affected families and rare cases of autosomal dominant inheritance as an entry-point to the study of the genes and pathways involved in these multifactorial conditions.

Much of our work is performed in collaboration with other University of Edinburgh Centres, particularly the Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine (CGEM) and the Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology (CCACE).

CCBS investigators are members of the Generation Scotland Psychiatry Expert Working Group (McIntosh) and the Enhancing Neuroimaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis (ENIGMA) Consortium (Andrew McIntosh, Joanna Wardlaw, Stephen Lawrie, Heather Whalley and Ian Deary [Associate Member]).