Modeling hybrid traits for comorbidity and genetic studies of alcohol and nicotine co-dependence

We propose a novel multivariate model for analyzing hybrid traits and identifying genetic factors for comorbid conditions. Comorbidity is a common phenomenon in mental health in which an individual suffers from multiple disorders simultaneously. For example, in the Study of Addiction: Genetics and Environment (SAGE), alcohol and nicotine addiction were recorded through multiple assessments that we refer to as hybrid traits. Statistical inference...