A gene strongly implicated in schizophrenia is essential for normal brain development and the growth of new neurons in the adult brain, according to new research by Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) scientists.
A research team led by HHMI investigator Li-Huei Tsai at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that a mutated form of the gene disrupts the growth and development of brain cells. Their findings may provide new
targets for the development of novel drugs to treat schizophrenia.
The researchers also showed that the gene DISC1 is part of the signaling pathway targeted by the mood stabilizer lithium. “For the first time, we have linked an evolutionarily conserved signaling pathway with schizophrenia,”says Tsai. “The beauty of knowing that this is the signaling pathway is that researchers now have many new targets to aim for as they develop drugs to treat schizophrenia.”
Tsai and her colleagues published their studies on March 20, 2009, in the journal Cell.
Schizophrenia is a common mental illness, affecting up to one percent of adults worldwide. Symptoms begin in late adolescence or early adulthood and can include delusions, hallucinations, paranoia, depression, and cognitive
impairment.
Scientists have only just begun to unravel the complicated genetics of schizophrenia, says Tsai. Mutations in a variety of genes appear to increase risk for the disorder. In the early 1990s, researchers linked DISC1 to mental
illnesses prevalent in a large Scottish family. Over five generations, many members of the family had developed schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and other mood disorders. Each family member diagnosed with mental illness
also carried a broken copy of the DISC1 gene. “DISC” stands for “disrupted in schizophrenia.” Link to original release
Source:Howard Hughes Medical Institute
