Molecular biology and the major psychoses.
OBJECTIVE
To highlight the potential role of molecular biological studies in examining the expression of genes of interest in brain tissue to elucidate the pathophysiological basis of the major psychoses.


METHODS
To review the principles underlying the available techniques for expression studies.


RESULTS
Detection of messenger RNA by in situ hybridisation and quantitation by Northern analysis are powerful tools to detect abnormalities in gene expression in brain tissue.


CONCLUSIONS
The availability of simple techniques to examine the expression of RNA and protein products of individual genes, including examination at the level of individual cells, offers a clear opportunity to define the molecular basis of the major psychoses.
Lloyd
A
A
Inflammation Research Unit, School of Pathology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Dixon
G
G
Huang
X F
XF
Ward
P
P
Catts
S
S
Hickie
I
I
Wakefield
D
D
D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008967:Molecular Biology; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics
D005819:Genetic Markers; D012333:RNA, Messenger