The Norwegian Network Study on Personality and Genetics (NONSTOP-GEN) is a general biobank involving the Norwegian Network for Personality Disorders. NONSTOP-GEN aims to map the genetic foundation for personality disorders. It will generate several research projects.
Why research on genetics?
Genes play an important role in the development of mental disorders, including personality disorders. As there are many genes involved, we need many participants to be able to find out which genes are the most important. By including information on childhood experiences, personality disorder diagnoses and other mental disorders, we will also investigate possible associations between genes and negative childhood experiences and genetic overlaps between personality disorders and other diagnoses, such as ADHD and bipolar disorder.
What do we know?
The development of mental disorders is complex and involves both genetic and environmental factors. Many genes are involved and there is considerable genetic overlap across diagnoses.
What does participation imply?
A saliva sample (.75 ml) from each participating patient which is marked with a code (not name / birth number) and sent to a biobank centre at the National Institute of Public Health in Oslo.
Planned research projects
The first project is approved by the Regional Ethics Committee: "Causes of personality disorders - genetic aspects studied in the Norwegian network study on personality and genetics".
Several independent articles from NONSTOP-GEN are scheduled from 2022 and involve calculation of polygenic risk scores and associations to different diagnoses, psychosocial vulnerabilities, comorbidities and treatment responses – the latter based on the multicentre, longitudinal data collection within the Network for Personality Disorder (TREATPD).
The NON-STOP-GEN contributes in "The International Borderline Personality Disorder Genetics Consortium" (Mount Sinai School of Medicine i New York) with the first samples sent in 2018.
Collaborations
- Network for Personality Disorder
- Centre of Excellence/ K.G. Jebsen Center for Psychosis Research, University of Oslo / Ole Andreassen
- Department for medical genetics, Oslo University Hospital / Srdjan Djurovic
- "The International Borderline Personality Disorder Genetics Consortium" (Mount Sinai School of Medicine i New York)
Network for Personality Disorder, currently seven units:
- Seksjon for Personlighetspsykiatri, Klinikk psykisk helse og avhengighet, Oslo universitetssykehus.
- Seksjon for gruppebehandling ved Lovisenberg DPS, Lovisenberg Diakonale Sykehus, Oslo.
- Poliklinikk for personlighetspsykiatri ved DPS Vestfold (Sandefjord).
- Enhet for Gruppeterapi, Nordre Romerike DPS (Jessheim), Akershus universitetssykehus.
- Enhet for Gruppeterapi ved Nedre Romerike DPS (Lillestrøm), Akershus universitetssykehus.
- Enhet for Gruppeterapi, Follo DPS (Ski), Akershus universitetssykehus.
Principle Investigator
Benjamin Hummelen, MD, PhD. Department for Research and Innovation, Oslo University Hospital. Cell-phone: 95741039. E-mail: uxbeum@ous-hf.no