Detection of genes that pose a risk of schizophrenia

The team of researchers has discovered a gene segment that poses a risk of schizophrenia, along with the mutant ability of the gene segment, through independent genomic and replication techniques.

Leading the research team is Dr. Xiangning Chen and Dr. Kenneth S. Kendler, two Psychiatrists at Virginia Commonwealth University and Virginia Behavioral Science Institute. The findings are reported in the September issue of Molecular Psychiatry.

In recent years, scientists have used genome analysis techniques to identify gene segments capable of causing common diseases such as diabetes, lung cancer, Parkinson's disease, rheumatoid arthritis and Systemic red lupus. However, for the research on disease causing genes Schizophrenia has not had such successes.

According to Dr. Chen, one of the reasons is that Schizophrenia is dominated by many gene segments and the effect of each gene segment on the disease is relatively small. Therefore, the results obtained from individual research samples are often changed.

Dr. Chen said that to collect reliable data, the team had to evaluate the results of many separate samples. The team collated the results from two large gene databases, then selected the most likely ' candidates '. The number of selected ' candidates ' also exceeded 20 genes.

According to Chen, this is one of the largest genetic studies to date for schizophrenia, which brings together more than 33,000 participants, eventually identifying the most likely gene segment is CMYA5 ( cardiomyopathy associated 5) . The specific function of this gene segment is not yet clear.

Chen said: 'Although it is not yet clear what the applications of this study will be for patients' treatment and care, it must be acknowledged that the results show us new research objectives. in the future and the method is really useful in finding other disease-causing genes. This is one of the most consistent conclusions ever published . '

The study was funded by the Stanley Institute of Medical Research and the Organization for Schizophrenia and Depression and the American National Psychiatry Institute.

Viet Nguyen - nguyennhuviet1986@yahoo.com