Connections Between Schizophrenia And Other Genetic Diseases

The role of genetic disorder in schizophrenia is taking in serious in ours days, and this because were found many connections between schizophrenia and other genetic diseases. The studies showed that the risk of schizophrenia is higher in families with schizophrenic members in their past. Schizophrenia is seen in 10 percent of people with a first degree relative with the disorder. Second degree relatives with the disease also develop schizophrenia more often than the general population ( occurs in 1 percent of the general population). Tests on identical twin showed that the risk is 40-65 percent chance of developing the disease.

Studies of gene expression in man, and studies of mouse mutants suggest involvement of glutamate and dopamine neurotransmitter systems.

It seems that 10 genes (but can be more) are might have a connection with schizophrenia. Neuregulin 1 has also been associated with schizophrenia and appears to express multiple proteins with many functions relevant to neurodevelopment, plasticity and transmitter activity . All these areas have been found in numerous studies to be abnormal in schizophrenia. Variation at the neuregulin 1 gene on chromosome 8p12 influences susceptibility to schizophrenia. Many tests were made on died schizophrenic brains. After this patients died, their brain was frozen and then analyzed the activity of neuregulin 1 gene at this patients.

Researchers are now working on a way to measure neuregulin in living patients and identify ways to predict who may become ill and why.

The discovery suggests a neuregulin deficiency in schizophrenia which could be treated with neuregulin-1. A genetically engineered neuregulin-1, termed recombinant human Glial Growth Factor 2 (rhGGF2), is already in late-stage preclinical development as treatment for neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis Therefore it seems to be possible that neuregulin-1 might soon be available for the treatment of acute schizophrenic psychosis.

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