CNCR scientists identify synaptic gene groups as risk factor for schizophrenia
Esther Lips and Danielle Posthuma from the department Functional Genomics (CNCR, NCA) publish their findings on the role of functional synaptic groups of genes in Molecular Psychiatry.
Esther Lips and Danielle Posthuma from the department Functional Genomics (CNCR, NCA) publish their findings on the role of functional synaptic groups of genes in Molecular Psychiatry.
Schizophrenia is a common and often devastating brain disorder. Some of the most prominent symptoms in schizophrenia are persistent delusions, hallucinations and cognitive problems. Schizophrenia affects about 1 percent of the world’s population and usually strikes in late adolescence or early adulthood. Despite the availability of treatments, schizophrenia is usually chronic, and response to treatment is often incomplete leading to prolonged disability and personal suffering. Family history, which reflects genetic inheritance, is a strong risk factor, and it has generally been assumed that dozens of genes, along with environmental factors, contribute to disease risk.
The study employed a powerful novel technique in which genes were grouped based on cellular function, benefiting from the biological expertise available within CNCR/NCA. Multiple CNCR team leaders were involved in the study, including Matthijs Verhage, Ruud Toonen and Niels Cornelisse from FGA and Guus Smit from MCN. Novel statistical techniques assessed the association of multiple genetic variants in the gene groups with schizophrenia. The sample, which included data from the International Schizophrenia Consortium, comprised genotypic data from 4673 patients and 4965 healthy controls.
The study reveals that genes in synaptic intracellular signal transduction, excitability and cell adhesion and trans-synaptic signaling contribute to a person’s risk of schizophrenia. The findings provide new evidence for underlying molecular pathways of schizophrenia.
The research was carried out using the Dutch Genetic Cluster Computer, funded by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research and the VU University, and was further supported by The Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development, Centre for Medical Systems Biology (CMSB), as well as numerous U.S., European, and Australian funding bodies.
Link to paper: http://www.nature.com/mp/journal/vaop/ncurrent/pdf/mp2011117a.pdf
Genetic Cluster Computer: http://www.geneticcluster.org
More information:
Prof dr. Danielle Posthuma, VU and VUMC Amsterdam, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam
T: +31-20–598 2823
E: Danielle.posthuma@cncr.vu.nl