title: Consensus paper of the WFSBP Task Force on Biological Markers: Criteria for biomarkers and endophenotypes of schizophrenia, part III: Molecular mechanisms.
abstract: Despite progress in identifying molecular pathophysiological processes in schizophrenia, valid biomarkers are lacking for both the disease and treatment response.
  
  
  
  This comprehensive review summarises recent efforts to identify molecular mechanisms on the level of protein and gene expression and epigenetics, including DNA methylation, histone modifications and micro RNA expression. Furthermore, it summarises recent findings of alterations in lipid mediators and highlights inflammatory processes. The potential that this research will identify biomarkers of schizophrenia is discussed.
  
  
  
  Recent studies have not identified clear biomarkers for schizophrenia. Although several molecular pathways have emerged as potential candidates for future research, a complete understanding of these metabolic pathways is required to reveal better treatment modalities for this disabling condition.
  
  
  
  Large longitudinal cohort studies are essential that pair a thorough phenotypic and clinical evaluation for example with gene expression and proteome analysis in blood at multiple time points. This approach might identify biomarkers that allow patients to be stratified according to treatment response and ideally also allow treatment response to be predicted. Improved knowledge of molecular pathways and epigenetic mechanisms, including their potential association with environmental influences, will facilitate the discovery of biomarkers that could ultimately be effective tools in clinical practice.
authors: a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , LMU Munich , Germany.|b Laboratory of Neuroscience (LIM27) , Institute of Psychiatry, University of Sao Paulo , Sao Paulo , Brazil.
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Schmitt
authors: b Laboratory of Neuroscience (LIM27) , Institute of Psychiatry, University of Sao Paulo , Sao Paulo , Brazil.|c Laboratory of Neuroproteomics, Department of Biochemistry , Institute of Biology University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas , SP , Brazil.
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Martins-de-Souza
authors: d Division of Psychiatric Epigenomics, Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience , Mount Sinai School of Medicine , New York , USA.
authors: Schahram
authors: S
authors: Akbarian
authors: c Laboratory of Neuroproteomics, Department of Biochemistry , Institute of Biology University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas , SP , Brazil.
authors: Juliana S
authors: JS
authors: Cassoli
authors: e Clinical Neuroscience , Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, DFG Centre for Nanoscale Microscopy & Molecular Physiology of the Brain , Göttingen , Germany.
authors: Hannelore
authors: H
authors: Ehrenreich
authors: f Research Group for Epigenetics in Neurodegenerative Diseases , German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen , Germany.|g Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , University Medical Centre Göttingen , Germany.
authors: Andre
authors: A
authors: Fischer
authors: h Neurosciences , Huntington Medical Research Institutes , Pasadena , CA , USA.
authors: Alfred
authors: A
authors: Fonteh
authors: b Laboratory of Neuroscience (LIM27) , Institute of Psychiatry, University of Sao Paulo , Sao Paulo , Brazil.
authors: Wagner F
authors: WF
authors: Gattaz
authors: i Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , University of Würzburg , Germany.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Gawlik
authors: j Centre for Mental Health, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy , University of Würzburg , Germany.
authors: Manfred
authors: M
authors: Gerlach
authors: i Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , University of Würzburg , Germany.|k Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zürich , Switzerland.|l Neuroscience Centre Zurich , University of Zurich and the ETH Zurich , Switzerland.|m Zurich Centre for Integrative Human Physiology , University of Zurich , Switzerland.
authors: Edna
authors: E
authors: Grünblatt
authors: d Division of Psychiatric Epigenomics, Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience , Mount Sinai School of Medicine , New York , USA.
authors: Tobias
authors: T
authors: Halene
authors: a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , LMU Munich , Germany.
authors: Alkomiet
authors: A
authors: Hasan
authors: n Division of Clinical Neuroscience , Chiba University Centre for Forensic Mental Health , Chiba , Japan.
authors: Kenij
authors: K
authors: Hashimoto
authors: o Department of Psychiatry , Korea University, College of Medicine , Republic of Korea.
authors: Yong-Ku
authors: 0000-0001-5694-7840
authors: YK
authors: Kim
authors: a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , LMU Munich , Germany.
authors: Sophie-Kathrin
authors: SK
authors: Kirchner
authors: p Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg , Erlangen , Germany.
authors: Johannes
authors: J
authors: Kornhuber
authors: q Institute of Neuropathology, LMU Munich , Germany.
authors: Theo F J
authors: TFJ
authors: Kraus
authors: a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , LMU Munich , Germany.
authors: Berend
authors: B
authors: Malchow
authors: c Laboratory of Neuroproteomics, Department of Biochemistry , Institute of Biology University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas , SP , Brazil.
authors: Juliana M
authors: JM
authors: Nascimento
authors: r Department of Psychiatry, Molecular and Behavioural Neurobiology , LMU Munich , Germany.|s Research Group Gene Expression , Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine , Göttingen , Germany.
authors: Moritz
authors: M
authors: Rossner
authors: t Institute for Laboratory Medicine, LMU Munich , Germany.
authors: Markus
authors: M
authors: Schwarz
authors: u Department of Psychiatry , University of Magdeburg , Magdeburg , Germany.
authors: Johann
authors: J
authors: Steiner
authors: b Laboratory of Neuroscience (LIM27) , Institute of Psychiatry, University of Sao Paulo , Sao Paulo , Brazil.
authors: Leda
authors: L
authors: Talib
authors: v Department of Psychiatry , University Hospital Cochin (site Tarnier), University of Paris-Descartes, INSERM U 894 Centre Psychiatry and Neurosciences , Paris , France.
authors: Florence
authors: 0000-0002-0204-5435
authors: F
authors: Thibaut
authors: w Center of Psychic Health; Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy , University Hospital of Würzburg , Germany.
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Riederer
authors: a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , LMU Munich , Germany.
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Falkai
mesh_terms: D026683:Advisory Committees; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis*; D019175:DNA Methylation; D058068:Endophenotypes; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000032:analysis; D040901:Proteomics; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: Schizophrenia; biomarkers; epigenetics; lipids; proteomics