Specific Gene Pinpointed In Schizophrenia Patients

Schizophrenia is usually characterized by hallucinations, paranoia, delusions, disorganized thought and speaking, and abnormal social function. Schizophrenia occurs in about one percent of the world's population.

A mutated version of DISC1 negatively impacts the normal development of the brain and growth of neurons, while other versions of DISC1 do not have the same adverse affect on these growth processes. The researchers in the United States, from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, discovered the abnormality in brain development. The United Kingdom study discovered that the gene impacts the response to treatment in schizophrenia patients. DISC1 was first linked to mental illness in the early 1990s, when it was discovered widespread in a large family with over five generations of mental illness and mood disorders. Each family member with a mental health condition carried a mutated copy of the gene.

The research from Howard Hughes Medical Institute used mice to demonstrate the activity of DISC1, then reduced the levels of the gene. As the gene was reduced, there was an occurrence of brain cells failing to divide, resulting in the development of symptoms much like human schizophrenia. The study also showed that the gene acts like a drug commonly prescribed to stabilize schizophrenic patients. Both the DISC1 gene and the drug lithium inhibit a specific brain chemical. Once mice with lower levels of DISC1 were treated with the chemical, their symptoms improved.

The researchers at the University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom used data from the Human Genome Project, which was created to decode the human genetic blueprint. The researchers demonstrated that the DISC1 gene impacts other genes that are targeted by current pharmaceutical drug treatments. This research demonstrates how individuals may respond to these medications and how DISC1 impacts brain development. This information can help researchers develop better drug treatment for schizophrenia.

Advocates for schizophrenia and other mental illnesses hail the research as a small, but important, step in the process of understanding the condition. But they say it may be a significant length of time before these basic research findings can be developed into major breakthroughs, and that much larger amounts of research dollars must be poured into mental health for real changes to occur.

Tim Moore
mooreorlesstim3@yahoo.com
http://www.disabilityblogger.blogspot.com