ZNF804A risk allele is associated with relatively intact gray matter volume in patients with schizophrenia

►ZNF804A rs1344706 is the first genetic risk variant to achieve genome wide significance for psychosis. ►We show that patients who are homozygous carriers of the ZNF804A risk allele show relatively larger grey matter volumes, particularly for hippocampal volumes. ►This evidence is consistent with earlier evidence that for patients, but not controls, ZNF804A risk carriers showed relatively unimpaired cognitive performance than non-carriers-particularly on measures of memory function. ►This study supports the hypothesis that ZNF804A is associated with a schizophrenia phenotype characterized by relatively less impaired brain structure and function, particularly for memory related brain structures.