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Genetics of Schizophrenia
Fall 2002
This issue of Mindview focuses on genetics, an important vehicle for understanding complex illnesses such as schizophrenia. As a research tool, modern genetics has already led to important discoveries in a number of areas of medicine. Progress has been less dramatic in psychiatric illnesses, but the potential for major advances is extremely exciting.
Although it is clear that genetic factors play a major role in determining who will and who will not develop schizophrenia, nongenetic factors are also important. For example, monozygotic or identical twins have identical genes. This explains why if one monozygotic twin develops schizophrenia, there is a high likelihood that the other will develop the illness. However, the chances are well below 100%. This indicates that factors in the individual's environment can interact with genes to determine the vulnerability to the illness. These factors may include factors such as the blood flow during fetal development or stresses that may affect one of the twins.
The results from genetic studies also indicate the complexity of schizophrenia. A large number of studies have attempted to locate a single gene that is associated with schizophrenia. This search has been unsuccessful. Schizophrenia appears to be an illness that results from the effects of a number of genes in widespread locations. The illness may result from the additive effects of multiple genes when they are combined with the effects of certain environmental factors. For obvious reasons, illnesses with this level of complexity are much more difficult to characterize. This probably explains why reports of genes that are related to schizophrenia often create excitement which is later diminished when scientists fail to replicate these findings.
The MIRECC is carrying out a number of studies that may improve our understanding of the genetics of schizophrenia. Drs. John Kelsoe and Niculescu are using animal models to study genes that may affect the vulnerability to developing psychosis. Dr. David Braff is studying characteristics of an individual that may be associated with an illness, but are not the illness itself. For example, the manner in which a person processes certain information may be inherited and may be a factor associated with schizophrenia. On the other hand, all individuals with this abnormality may not develop schizophrenia. Both research groups are using methods of genetics research to improve our understanding of the biology of schizophrenia.
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