Research Interests

• Tourette Syndrome
• Attention-Deficit Hyperactivitiy Disorder
• Reading disabilities

Research Activities

The genetics of neuropsychiatric disorders and behaviour

The focus of my research is the genetics of psychiatric and neurological disorders for which a genetic predisposition has been established. These include attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, childhood-onset anxiety disorders, childhood-onset depression, and Tourette Syndrome. Numerous studies have implicated an imbalance in the neurotransmitter systems in these disorders. My colleagues and I are able to test specific candidate genes from these systems: we have screened a number of candidate genes for mutations and polymorphisms that may contribute to the genetic predisposition to neuropsychiatric disorders.

External Funding

• CIHR
• Ontario Mental Health Foundation
• The Krembil Scientific Development Seed Fund
• Psychiatry Endowment Fund

Publications

Barr CL, Xu C, Kroft J, Feng Y, Wigg KG, Zai G, Tannock R, Schachar R, Malone M, Roberts W, Nöthen MM, Grunhage F, Vandenberg DJ, Uhl GR, King N, and Kennedy JL. Haplotype study of three polymorphisms at the dopamine transporter locus confirm linkage to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Biological Psychiatry, 49: 333-339, 2001

Barr CL, Feng Y, Wigg K, Bloom S, Roberts W, Malone M, Schachar R, Tannock R, and Kennedy JL. Identification of DNA variants in the SNAP-25 gene and linkage study of these polymorphisms and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Molecular Psychiatry, 5(4): 405-409, 2000.

Barr CL, Wigg KG, Pakstis AJ, Kurlan R, Pauls D, Kidd KK, Tsui LC, Sandor P. Genome scan for linkage to Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome. American Journal of Medical Genetics, 88: 437-445, 1999.

Barr CL, Sandor P. Current status of genetic studies of Gilles de la Tourette syndrome. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 43: 351-357, 1998.