Team Uncovers Possible Risk Gene for Schizophrenia

	Tweet

An international team of researchers has identified a risk gene for schizophrenia, including a potentially causative mutation, using genome-wide association data-mining techniques and independent replications.

The results of the research, led by Xiangning Chen, Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry and human and molecular genetics in Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Medicine and the Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, and Kenneth S. Kendler, M.D., professor of psychiatry and human and molecular genetics in VCU’s School of Medicine and the Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, are reported in the September issue of the journal Molecular Psychiatry.

In recent years, scientists have used genome-wide association studies to identify possible candidate genes responsible for diseases that include type 2 diabetes, lung cancer, Parkinson’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. However, the same approach was not as successful for the study of schizophrenia. 

According to Chen, one of the many possible reasons is that many genes are involved in schizophrenia and the effect of each individual gene is relatively small. For this reason, he said, results obtained from individual samples tend to fluctuate.

Chen said that to obtain consistent results researchers need to consider the results from many independent samples. The team used that approach in this study by first screening two genome-wide association datasets with statistic, genomic, informatic and genetic data and then ranking the top candidate. Chen said that the selected candidates were verified by more than 20 independent samples.

According to Chen, the work is one of the largest genetic studies of schizophrenia and included more than 33,000 participants that identify cardiomyopathy associated 5, or CMYA5, as a risk gene for schizophrenia. Its function is unknown at this time.

“While its implication for patient care is not clear at this moment, it is fair to say that our paper provides a new target for future research and a practical method to identify other potential risk genes. The findings are one of the most consistent findings in recent literature,” said Chen.

The study was supported in part by the Stanley Medical Research Institute, the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression and the National Institute of Mental Health. Part of the genotyping was funded by the Genetic Association Information Network organization and Eli Lilly and Company.

EDITOR’S NOTE: A copy of the study is available for reporters in PDF format by email request from .

About VCU and the VCU Medical Center: Virginia Commonwealth University is a major, urban public research university with national and international rankings in sponsored research. Located on two downtown campuses in Richmond, VCU enrolls more than 32,000 students in 211 certificate and degree programs in the arts, sciences and humanities. Sixty-nine of the programs are unique in Virginia, many of them crossing the disciplines of VCU’s 13 schools and one college. MCV Hospitals and the health sciences schools of Virginia Commonwealth University compose the VCU Medical Center, one of the nation’s leading academic medical centers.

Source:  Virginia Commonwealth University

RELATED STORIES:
Research supports toxoplasmosis link to schizophrenia   Why Symptoms of Schizophrenia Emerge in Young Adulthood   Scientists link potassium flow with schizophrenia   Combining medication and psychosocial treatments may benefit patients with early-stage schizophrenia   Scientists identify gene that may indicate predisposition to schizophrenia   Gifts of the MAGI in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder   Unravelling the risk for schizophrenia: Eye movement and attention focus of new study   Cancer risk varies in patients with schizophrenia   Study Compares Traits of Autism, Schizophrenia   Scientists pinpoint schizophrenia genes; discovery may aid in diagnosis and treatment of mental illness   Why Schizophrenia Affect Men More Than Women   Gender differences in schizophrenia   Sex and gender in schizophrenia   Schizophrenia does not increase risk of violent crime   Sexual Dysfunction Results from Anti-depressant Drugs

Comments

[ + Post Your Own ]

Now you're in the public comment zone. What follows is not Armenian Medical Network's stuff; it comes from other people and we don't vouch for it. A reminder: By using this Web site you agree to accept our Terms of Service. Click here to read the Rules of Engagement.

There are no comments for this entry yet. [ + Comment here + ]