GWGE studies can be useful for the identification of genes involved in a disease as they can point to the genes whose expression differs between patients and controls, presumably as a cause or consequence of the disease process, or genes that respond to disease-relevant medication. The value of such studies to our understanding of the disease biology is significant and the knowledge of disease expression profiles can have many applications. It is important to remember that a gene that is found to have altered transcript levels in a disease is not necessarily a culprit in its pathogenesis. Although one can clearly claim a relationship between the gene and the disease process, this might be distant and mediated by indirect associations, so that the gene might bear no meaningful connection to the disease risk. When GWGE studies are seen in the context of their potential limitations, they are invaluable for our understanding of complex disorders.
