title: Epigenetic mechanisms in schizophrenia.
abstract: Epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs, have been implicated in a number of complex diseases. Schizophrenia and other major psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders are associated with abnormalities in multiple epigenetic mechanisms, resulting in altered gene expression during development and adulthood. Polymorphisms and copy number variants in schizophrenia risk genes contribute to the high heritability of the disease, but environmental factors that lead to epigenetic modifications may either reduce or exacerbate the expression of molecular and behavioral phenotypes associated with schizophrenia and related disorders. In the present paper, we will review the current understanding of molecular dysregulation in schizophrenia, including disruption of the dopamine, NMDA, and GABA signaling pathways, and discuss the role of epigenetic factors underlying disease pathology.
authors.affiliation: McKnight Brain Institute and Departments of Psychiatry and Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32607, USA.
authors.forename: Kimberly R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Shorter
authors.affiliation: McKnight Brain Institute and Departments of Psychiatry and Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32607, USA. Electronic address: brookemiller@ufl.edu.
authors.forename: Brooke H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism; D019175:DNA Methylation; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D006657:Histones; D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: DNA methylation; Epigenetics; Histones; Neurodevelopment; Schizophrenia; microRNA