A new study has implicated specific genes in schizophrenia. To derive at this, scientists analysed DNA from more than 300,000 people with and without the psychiatric disorder. The Cardiff University researchers pinpointed large numbers of specific genes that could play important roles in the psychiatric disorder.
The study represents the largest ever genetic investigation of schizophrenia. Data was drawn from 45 countries, with DNA studied from 76,755 people with schizophrenia and 243,649 without it.
Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder. Those with the condition interpret reality abnormally. Schizophrenia may manifest as a combination of hallucinations, delusions, and extremely disordered thinking and behaviour, to the level that it adversely impairs daily functioning.
The data was drawn from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium study. This relates to meta- and mega-analyses of genomic-wide genetic data, with a focus on psychiatric disorders. It is the largest psychiatric consortium ever created.
The focus was to consider the genes and biological processes underpinning the condition. The genetic links that appear related to schizophrenia are located within 287 different regions of the genome. Here there are 120 genes that will require further analysis based on the associations with the mental illness.
These are genes expressed in neurons. This suggests that these cells are the most important site of pathology. In addition, the findings indicate abnormal neuron function in schizophrenia affects many brain areas.
The connection with the human brain may account for the diverse symptoms of schizophrenia, which can include hallucinations, delusions and problems with thinking clearly.
According to one of the lead researchers, Professor Michael O’Donovan, the results will be of medical significance: “We have now been able to link specific genes… a necessary step in what remains a difficult journey towards understanding the causes of this disorder and identifying new treatments.”
The research appears in the journal Nature, titled “Mapping genomic loci implicates genes and synaptic biology in schizophrenia.”
