Richard D. Todd, Ph.D., M.D.
Blanche F. Ittleson Professor
Psychiatry
Professor
Genetics
Developmental Biology Program
Human and Statistical Genetics Program
Molecular Cell Biology Program
Molecular Genetics and Genomics Program
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Office Phone: 314-747-6769
Lab Phone: 314-362-8662
Other Phone:
FAX: 314-747-6777
Box: 8134
Lab Address: 1153 East Building
Email: toddr@wustl.edu
Keywords: behavior; genetics; ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder); autism; alcoholism
Short Research Description: Family/twin/genetic studies of ADHD, depression, autism; nicotine/alcohol dependence. |
Research Abstract:
My research interests can be divided into four broad, overlapping areas:
1) Genetic linkage, association and brain imaging studies of familial forms of psychiatric disorders,
2) Mutation screening and genome wide association studies of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and nicotine/alcohol dependence,
3) Gene X environment studies of children at high familial risk for psychiatric disorders such as depression and ADHD,
4) Genetic studies of normal behaviors
Most of these studies are collaborative ventures that attempt to integrate and apply molecular, neuroimaging and clinical approaches to specific disorders and behaviors.
Specific Research Activities:
Children, adolescents and their relatives who are ill or are at risk for familial psychiatric illnesses are being studied to identify familial transmission patterns and risk modifying variables. Current studies include population-based twin studies of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism and depression. Studies of normal behaviors include twin studies of social interactions and brain development.
Genetic linkage and genome wide association approaches are being applied to familial forms of attention disorders, affective disorders, and alcoholism. These studies emphasize nosology, quantitative genetics, and evolutionary methods as well as neuroimaging and laboratory approaches.
Mutation screening studies are concentrating on detecting DNA sequence variation in ventral dopaminergic pathway genes using denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) and DNA sequencing. Current studies are focusing on highly heritable forms of ADHD and nicotine/alcohol dependence. |
Selected Publications:
Duvall JA, Lu A, Cantor RM, Todd RD, Constantino JN, Geschwind DH. A quantitative trait locus analysis of social responsiveness in multiplex autism families. Am J Psychiatry 2007 164:656-662. Erratum in: Am J Psychiatry 2007 164:980.
http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/164/4/656
Neuman RJ, Lobos E, Reich W, Henderson CA, Sun LW, Todd RD. Prenatal smoking exposure and dopaminergic genotypes interact to cause a severe ADHD subtype. Biol Psychiatry 2007 61:1320-1328. Epub 2006 Dec 6.
http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0006322306011401
Constantino JN, Todd RD. Intergenerational transmission of sub threshold autistic traits in the general population. Biol Psychiatry 2005 57:655-660.
Constantino JN, Todd RD. Autistic traits in the general population: A twin study. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2003 60:524-530.
Munn MA, Alexopoulos J, Nishino T, Babb CM, Flake LA, Singer T, Ratnanather JT, Huang H, Todd RD, Miller MI, Botteron KN. Amygdala volume analysis in female twins with major depression. Biol Psychiatry 2007 62:415-422. Epub 2007 May 23.
http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0006322306015502 |