title: Early biomarkers of psychosis.
abstract: Biological traits that are predictive of the later development of psychosis have not yet been identified. The complex, multidetermined nature of schizophrenia and other psychoses makes it unlikely that any single biomarker will be both sensitive and specific enough to unambiguously identify individuals who will later become psychotic. However, current genetic research has begun to identify genes associated with schizophrenia, some of which have phenotypes that appear early in life. While these phenotypes have low predictive power for identifying individuals who will become psychotic, they do serve as biomarkers for pathophysiological processes that can become the targets of prevention strategies. Examples are given from work on the role of the alpha(T)nicotinic receptor and its gene CHRNA7 on chromosome 15 in the neurobiology and genetic transmission of schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry C-268-71, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO 80262, USA. Robert.Freedman@UCHSC.edu
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Freedman
authors.forename: Randal
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: Sherry
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leonard
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Myles-Worsley
authors.forename: Catherine E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: Merilyne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Waldo
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tregellas
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Olincy
authors.forename: Jody
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tanabe
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kisley
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.forename: Karen E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Stevens
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005787:Gene Frequency / Q000235:genetics; D008040:Genetic Linkage / Q000235:genetics; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005819:Genetic Markers