Clinical impact of recently detected susceptibility genes for schizophrenia.
After years of frustration, the search for genes impacting on schizophrenia is now undergoing some exciting developments. Several proposals of susceptibility genes have been able to be supported by replications. Thus, there are now at least three very strong candidates: the gene for dysbindin (DTNBP1), the gene for neuregulin-1 (NRG1), and a less well-understood gene locus, G72/G30, which are likely to influence manifestations of schizophrenia. Other "hot" candidates such as the disrupted-in-schizophrenia 1 gene (DISC1) and the gene coding for protein kinase B (AKT1) might also prove to be susceptibility genes in the next future. The clinical implications of these findings are not yet fully visible. However, some first insights are possible: most of the genetic findings lack diagnostic specificity, and are also reproduced in bipolar disorder. Strong associations are also obtained on a symptomatic level, not only on a diagnostic level. The pathophysiological role of these hot candidate genes is currently under intensive study.
Maier
Wolfgang
W
Department of Psychiatry, University of Bonn, 53105 Bonn, Germany. Wolfgang.Maier@ukb.uni-bonn.de
Zobel
Astrid
A
Kühn
Kai-Uwe
KU
D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D020732:Cytogenetic Analysis / Q000379:methods; D000074765:Dysbindin; D049029:Dystrophin-Associated Proteins; D015870:Gene Expression; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D020890:Neuregulin-1 / Q000235:genetics; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000235:genetics*
D002352:Carrier Proteins; C475071:DAOA protein, human; C412476:DISC1 protein, human; C432416:DTNBP1 protein, human; D000074765:Dysbindin; D049029:Dystrophin-Associated Proteins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D020890:Neuregulin-1; C494918:AKT1 protein, human; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt