title: Contact in the genetics of autism and schizophrenia.
abstract: Although autism and schizophrenia are considered to be distinct neuropsychiatric developmental disorders, recent studies indicate that they share genetic factors. The same chromosomal rearrangements and several single genes have emerged as genetic risks in both disorders. One such gene is contactin-associated protein-2 (CNTNAP2). These findings raise the possibility that these neuropsychiatric disorders share pathogenic mechanisms and that similar defects in biological pathways of brain development might underlie the phenotypic spectrum of these disorders.
authors.affiliation: Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University Medical Center Utrecht, P.O. Box 85060, 3508 AB Utrecht, The Netherlands. j.p.h.burbach@umcutrecht.nl <j.p.h.burbach@umcutrecht.nl>
authors.forename: J Peter H
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Burbach
authors.forename: Bert
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: van der Zwaag
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D001921:Brain / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D018628:Gene Dosage / Q000235:genetics; D008040:Genetic Linkage / Q000235:genetics; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: C403049:CNTNAP2 protein, human; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins