An article by Robert Preidt for U.S. News unveils a study that identified 120 genes linked to schizophrenia. This is currently the largest genetic study done on schizophrenia and includes 45 countries. Researchers analyzed DNA from roughly 77,000 people who suffer from schizophrenia and 244,000 without the disease. The study has identified specific genes that are linked with the disease, which could lead to new and more effective treatments, as many people with schizophrenia do not respond well to current treatments.
The inheritance pattern of schizophrenia is usually unknown. The probability of developing schizophrenia is higher for family members of affected individuals. Genetic variation is the most likely cause of the disease, and usually it is a combination of multiple genetic changes. There are also environmental factors associated with schizophrenia, such as exposure to infections before birth and extremely high stress during childhood.
This is a really interesting topic and I had no idea that there were that many genes linked to schizophrenia. This is a tough mental disorder with debilitating symptoms, and I am interested in seeing if researchers can use these genes to create specific treatments to ease the symptoms of those with the disorder. It can also lead to better genetic testing to see if someone is at a high risk to have schizophrenia.
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