Rs16944

rs16944 is a SNP in the interleukin 1, beta gene, a member of the cytokine family involved in the inflammatory response. The rs16944 G;G genotype is associated with risk for multiple mental illnesses. An increased risk for schizophrenia was found in a genetic association study of 2111 Caucasian individuals with an odds ratio of 1.24 (95% CI 1.09, 1.41). Studies examining the brains of schizophrenic and bipolar  individuals found reduced gray matter and hypoactivity associated with the G;G genotype. Additionally, this genotype is associated with impaired ability to achieve remission in a study of 256 Caucasian individuals with depression (odds ratio = 1.74; 95% confidence interval 1.2-4.3).

The rs16944 A allele increases susceptibility to Osteoarthritis, with 1.80 times for heterozygotes (AG) and 2.90 times for homozygotes (AA)

Gray matter deficits in bipolar disorder rs16944(T;T)