In each of these cases, polymorphisms of genes associated with psychiatric disorders have resulted in differences in cortical thickness in typically developing children and adolescents. Moreover, the regions affected have tended to fall within regions important for the psychiatric disorder or cognitive function associated with that gene. These findings support the roles of these various genes on structural brain development. In addition they suggest that the cortical differences seen in these disorders may be at least in part due to heritable neurodevelopmental differences associated with a specific genotype, rather than downstream effects of having the clinical condition.
