Grant: Project Grant

In Canada, schizophrenia is a mental health condition that can lead to disability and early death. Researchers have used large databases to find genetic factors that contribute to our understanding of how schizophrenia works, however none of these studies included people from Manitoba and very few from Canada. We want to create a Manitoba-specific study to understand schizophrenia, where we will invite people with schizophrenia to participate by providing a blood sample. We will also collect medical data, and link to other data sources that are already available such as that from medical records and or other government sources. This is unlike any other study in Canada, because Manitoba has unique medical data available, where it covers most of a person's life, from birth to the end of life. These large databases that link genetic and medical data for conditions like schizophrenia are uncommon globally, but we also have access to a similar study in Sweden. Accessing this Swedish data can help to compare our findings from Manitoba with an outside country that is like Canada. Our goal is to provide a better understanding of schizophrenia in Canadians, compare with that of the Swedish study, and perform research to understand how genetics play a role in schizophrenia. To achieve these goals, we have three main aims: (1) create the Manitoba Schizophrenia Study, (2) examine if there genetic differences between those with and without schizophrenia, and compare this to individuals from Sweden and (3) investigate whether any genetic factors play a role in antipsychotic drug prescribing. The results from this project will create a highly coveted and novel resource for schizophrenia researchers in Canada, support new knowledge to improve our understanding of schizophrenia and may lead to new insights into the condition and potential targets for better treatments.