Association between GABA-A receptor alpha 5 subunit gene locus and schizophrenia of a later age of onset.
Heritability is considered to be a major etiologic factor for schizophrenia. Among the genes considered as candidates for the disease, are those related to GABAergic neurotransmission. Our aim was to test for a genetic association between GABA-A receptor alpha 5 subunit gene locus (GABRA(5)) and schizophrenia. Genotyping of the GABRA(5) locus was performed by the use of a dinucleotide (CA) repeat marker in 46 schizophrenic patients and 50 healthy individuals, all unrelated Greeks. Eight alleles were identified, 276-290 bp long. A nonsignificant excess of the 282-bp allele, which was found in a previous study in a Greek population to be associated with bipolar affective disorder, was observed in schizophrenic patients (33.8 vs. 23.9% in the controls). The frequency of this allele was 43.3% among patients with a later age of onset (over 25 years), differing at a statistically significant level from the controls (p < 0.05). These results suggest that common pathophysiological mechanisms may possibly underlie affective disorders and schizophrenia, at least in a subgroup of patients.
Papadimitriou
G
G
Department of Psychiatry, Clinical and Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Clinical and Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Eginition Hospital, Athens University Medical School, Greece. egslelabath@hol.gr
Dikeos
D
D
Daskalopoulou
E
E
Karadima
G
G
Avramopoulos
D
D
Contis
C
C
Stefanis
C
C
D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006115:Greece / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000235:genetics*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology
D011963:Receptors, GABA-A