Analysis of genetic repeats suggests role for DNA instability in schizophrenia

That is the title of this article I am reviewing today.  "An international research team has revealed extensive genetic variation in patients with schizophrenia. Significantly more copy number variations (CNVs) of genomic DNA were detected in patients than in controls. Patients also showed different disease severity, which appears associated with the CNVs' number and variable expressivity. These findings enabled the researchers to propose a genetic model of schizophrenia in which genomic instability underlies disease development. Variations in the number of DNA sequence repeats are known to exist between individuals. Some of these copy number variations (CNVs) are associated with disease, as with schizophrenia, wherein rare CNVs on chromosomes, including 1, 15, 16, and 22, are more common among patients than among controls. However, previous studies have not fully investigated the effect of particular CNVs, especially those on the X chromosome, on patient characteristics. Nor have they examined the genes responsible for CNVs in schizophrenia, which would aid understanding of disease development." I hope this study does not take to long I sure would like to know before I die what caused this disease with me.  I am always watching my grand kids hoping I did not pass this disease on.
The article goes on to say: "An international research team centered at Nagoya University has now used a technique based on DNA fragments labeled with different fluorescent markers to reveal high levels of genetic heterogeneity (whereby several different genetic defects can cause the same symptoms) in schizophrenia. They also observed that the CNVs associated with schizophrenia affected gene categories controlling repair of DNA damage, which may underlie disease mechanisms. The study was reported in the Springer Nature journal Molecular Psychiatry. The technique the researchers used was more sensitive and of a higher resolution than previous methods. This allowed detection of more CNVs, especially small ones, which accounted for 70% of all CNVs. Significantly more clinically important CNVs were seen in the DNA of 1,699 patients with schizophrenia than in the 824 control individuals, while abnormal numbers of X chromosomes were also associated with disease. High genetic heterogeneity was revealed by the detection of these CNVs at 67 different regions in 9% of patients. Further variation was observed in the effect of the CNVs on patient characteristics in that some CNVs were carried by controls without causing any symptoms." Without causing symptoms.  There has only been one other person in my family that had a mental illness and he is a second cousin. I do not have it bad. I went to college and have a good job. Although it always lingers why.  Why did I have to spend five years in the state hospital.  Why I had finally had my life in order except for the drinking.
The article ends: "'Patients with clinically important CNVs showed a range of characteristics, such as developmental problems and refusal to accept treatment,' first author Itaru Kushima says. 'And, the presence of two CNVs resulted in a more severe phenotype.' The researchers looked closely at the genetic regions containing CNVs to identify several gene categories associated with schizophrenia that may be affected by genetic disturbance. These include oxidative stress response, which leads to DNA damage when imbalanced, and genomic integrity, involving DNA repair and replication.
'We propose that CNVs affecting oxidative stress response and genomic integrity lead to genomic instability that may cause further CNVs," corresponding author Norio Ozaki says. "This model helps explain the new CNVs seen in previous studies on schizophrenia, as well as the differences in affected patients' phenotypes.'" I do not know although this is the first study I am excited about with DNA I think they can figure this out,  I just hope so!

Schizophrenia DNA study will leads medical breakthrough

That is the title of this article I am reviewing. "For a long time scientists have to fight around the reason for the development of schizophrenia, a complex psychiatric disorder, and the way to understand the treatment. People with schizophrenia – more than 21 million worldwide
Scientists at Harvard University and the Broad Institute examined the genomes of 64,785 people around the world and found that those who were with the debilitating psychiatric disorders more likely to have mutations in a common gene, according to published this Wednesday findings.
People with schizophrenia – more than 21 million worldwide – generally have less gray matter and fewer connections in their brains than healthy peers. But scientists are not sure why. The research, which for the first time, suggests that changes in a gene called complement component 4 or C4, in short, could be important. The gene was previously known to help the immune system to target infections. The study shows the possible reasons is that the symptoms of schizophrenia of not less than 3.5 million Americans trigger of 1% of the population. Schizophrenia symptoms such as hallucinations, cognitive difficulties, hallucinations and abnormal social behavior changed. However, psychiatrists have been mystified about its origins and biological bases. 'The basic scientific dilemma in schizophrenia and in all mental illness is that we do not even the most basic things about how these diseases start known,' said Dr. Steve McCarroll, a geneticist at Harvard University and one of the authors of the study." Yea I wonder why and how I received this disease.  I just had one bad thing happen after another since I received this disease.
The article goes on to say: "What is the reason of schizophrenia so difficult?
We knew about the area for a long time on the basis of genetic-association studies. But there are a lot of genes are, and no one had identified gene as a risk before explaining. When [co-author] Steve [McCarroll] came to me with preliminary data to support the genetic link with C4, I was very excited because my lab was to investigate the role of other immune proteins of the development brain, especially synaptic pruning. We had some progress in understanding which proteins are in normal development. And since schizophrenia is thought to be a disease of the nervous system, which is really exciting. By demonstrating that there are some synaptic loss led to the hypothesis that maybe this genetic link could be related to crop. We were also fortunate in a third laboratory, Michael Carroll, the immunologist who has been studying C4 bring. So in order to progress as to make this really a question, it needs this kind of an interdisciplinary approach. healthy synapse pruning and?
We know that it is necessary for circumcision developing mouse brain. But we do not know [about his role in the people], as we know, for the mouse. With the participation of the immune system in this synapse pruning schizophrenia can be classified as an autoimmune disease?" I do know my immune system is not working right.  The reason I was diagnosed with lung cancer my body just does not fight this stuff anymore.  That is the reason I also get so many sinus infections.
The article ends: "No, this is not an autoimmune. What this shows us that a gene to be that happens, an immune system gene is involved. The last decade has shown that there are a lot of immune genes, which are expressed in the normal, healthy brain. They are repurposed in the brain to do important things in the development especially. We have evidence that this play a gene and a path that is expressed in the brain, and is a normal role in the brain. or the purpose of the study researchers came together from all over the United States and studied the role of genetics and their influence on the individual chance of developing the disease. In the process, they isolated a particular gene that prompts the symptoms. According to their research, the people who have a gene that accelerated the normal development process “synaptic pruning” in their brains are at high risk of developing schizophrenia. When people suffer from schizophrenia, is their process of synaptic pruning in an overdrive condition, which means that they. Fewer connections with the prefrontal cortex, especially during adolescence and young adulthood, which led to the development in disorder
In particular, they say, this happens during adolescence and early symptoms of schizophrenia that are less well known, manifest, for example, memory loss and problems with attention, marked withdrawal from personal relationships and a severe lack of motivation. This is consistent with previous research that had identified this “pruning” as possible perpetrators.
For those who do research in schizophrenia have followed for a while now, this may have been expected. Previous research has suggested that late adolescence appears to be a window, may result in the early symptoms of schizophrenia. Taking certain medications during adolescence has also been linked to schizophrenia-like symptoms in later life associated. Although controversial, it may be that the mechanism in the game there is the same: The trimming function in the brain can go too far and create a breakdown in how the brain perceives and processes the data of our senses are giving it.
So why is this important? Due to the fact that schizophrenia often present with very different and far-reaching symptoms, looking for treatments that can fight all of them without significant side effects is difficult. Significantly improved However, this research suggests that there may be a way, if not avoided, schizophrenia, then eliminates targeted treatment for the cause, the patient’s outlook and contribute in particular to control psychosis effective." Looking back on my life and I have been doing a lot of that lately.  Even thought I did not have full blown schizophrenia during my teenage years I was different and had a lot of problems that could have been the schizophrenia starting back then.  It ruined a lot of my life that could have turned out different.