Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder that begins in late adolescence or early adulthood and affects approximately one in 300 people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. “It has been known for decades that genetic causes play a major role, but many mechanisms have still not been sufficiently elucidated,” explains Prof. Dr. Stephan Ripke, Head of the Laboratory for Statistical Genetics at the Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at Campus Charité Mitte in Berlin.
To change that, the research team extensively analyzed the DNA of 76,755 people with schizophrenia and 243,649 people without schizophrenia in 45 countries. Among other things, they looked for sections of the DNA that are linked to schizophrenia, i.e. that are associated with susceptibility to this disease. They found genetic associations with schizophrenia in 287 different regions of the genome. Previous studies have so far identified 100 regions. Using modern analysis methods within these regions, they then discovered 120 specific genes likely to contribute to the mental disorder.
With their findings, the scientists hope to gain a better understanding of the origins of schizophrenia and use this to develop innovative therapies for this serious mental illness in the future. The symptoms of schizophrenia include thought and perception disorders, lack of concentration, hallucinations, delusions and listlessness. Doctors assume that the complex disease arises from the interaction of several factors, which include neurobiological and psychosocial components in addition to genetic predisposition.
Which: DOI 10.1038/s41586-022-04434-5