The Comorbidity and Causality group uniquely combines epidemiological, genetic, and experimental methods to answer important health questions. We study a range of comorbidities in psychiatry, with the general aim being to test whether a given association is due to causal pathways and/or shared genetic etiology. Methods that we apply include longitudinal cohort analyses (e.g., random intercept cross-lagged panel models and dynamic structural equation modeling), regression discontinuity designs, family(twin/sibling)-designs, genome-wide association studies (GWAS), polygenic score analyses, Mendelian randomization, and genomic structural equation modelling. We use data of existing, large-scale (adolescent and adult) cohorts, as well as GWAS summary level data, and collect new data in smaller subprojects. By applying ‘triangulation’, the explicit combination and integration of multiple methods with different sources of bias, strengths, and weaknesses, we strive to obtain reliable evidence to inform prevention and treatment. Another focal point is diversity in participant representation (e.g., with regards to gender and ethnic/ancestral background), to ensure generalizability of scientific findings.

Our group has five workstreams;
1.Mental illness & substance use (primarily smoking, vaping, cannabis, and alcohol)
2.Mental illness & cardiovascular disease
3.Mental illness & sex hormones (workstream led by Dr. Margot van de Weijer)
4.Developing triangulation frameworks
5.Translation to prevention and treatment

Team members

dr. Jorien Treur Principal Investigator
dr. Margot van de Weijer Assistant professor
Rada Veeneman PhD student
Eva Lukas PhD student
Muhannad Smadi PhD student
Tessa Zonneveld PhD student
Adrià Túnez Aquilué PhD student
Emily Poort PhD student
Noëlle van Geenen Research assistant