Schizophrenia and genetics: new insights.
There is consistent evidence that the principal etiology of schizophrenia involves predisposing genetic factors. Recent years have seen several new insights in the genetics of schizophrenia. Several chromosomal regions show significant evidence that they contain schizophrenia susceptibility genes. A clinically relevant genetic subtype of schizophrenia (22q deletion syndrome) has been identified. There is new evidence that spontaneous mutations may play a role. There are new recommendations for genetic counseling. The progress to date suggests that understanding of a neurodevelopmental pathway from genetic susceptibility to schizophrenia will soon be fundamentally altered by molecular genetic advances in this complex disease.
Clinical Genetics Research Program, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 1001 Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario M6J 1H4, Canada. anne.bassett@utoronto.ca
Anne S
AS
Bassett
Eva W
EW
Chow
Rosanna
R
Weksberg
Linda
L
Brzustowicz
D002892:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 22 / Q000235:genetics; D017353:Gene Deletion; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000235:genetics*