Association between FOXP2 polymorphisms and schizophrenia with auditory hallucinations.
OBJECTIVE
A mutation in the FOXP2 gene has been the first genetic association with a language disorder. Language disorder is considered as a core symptom of schizophrenia. Therefore, the FOXP2 gene could be considered a good candidate gene for the vulnerability to schizophrenia.


METHODS
A set of single nucleotide polymorphisms mainly located in the 5' regulatory region of the FOXP2 gene was analysed in a sample of 186 DSM-IV schizophrenic patients with auditory hallucinations and in 160 healthy controls.


RESULTS
Statistically significant differences in the genotype (P=0.007) and allele frequencies (P=0.0027) between schizophrenic patients with auditory hallucinations and controls were found in the single nucleotide polymorphism rs2396753. These P values changed to 0.07 and 0.0273, respectively, after Bonferroni sequential correction. The haplotype rs7803667T/rs10447760C/rs923875A/rs1358278A/rs2396753A (TCAAA) also showed a significant difference confirmed with a permutation test (P=0.009).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggested that the FOXP2 gene may confer vulnerability to schizophrenic patients with auditory hallucinations.
Psychiatric Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Clinical Hospital, Valencia, Spain. julio.sanjuán@uv.es
Julio
J
Sanjuán
Amparo
A
Tolosa
José C
JC
González
Eduardo J
EJ
Aguilar
Jordi
J
Pérez-Tur
Carmen
C
Nájera
María Dolores
MD
Moltó
Rosa
R
de Frutos
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D005260:Female; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000235:genetics*; D013030:Spain; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics
C465448:FOXP2 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors