We strongly encourage researchers to think deeply and critically about the genes they investigate in cGxE studies. Not all candidate genes are created equal. In most cases, it may be time to move away from analyses of the “usual suspect” candidate genes in view of the field’s poor track record at selecting (based on theory) the genes that are likely to be important for behavioral outcomes or confer sensitivity to the environment. An alternate strategy is to investigate genes and genetic variants that have been identified through large-scale gene identification efforts, including genome-wide association study meta- and mega-analyses, such as those conducted by the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (see www.med.unc.edu/pgc). Translating genes and gene networks identified in model organisms into human studies of cGxE also holds promise. For example, genes that are highly interconnected as part of these networks (i.e., “hub genes”; Wolen et al., 2012) may be high priorities for cGxE studies.
