DA 3 Flashcards
Familial histories
good for single gene diseases
Genome wide association studies (GWAS)
uses larger populations but isn’t hypothesis driven
Copy number variations (CNVs)
Examines genomes for deletions or duplications of regions (few kilo-bases to mega-bases)
Familiar histories in schizophrenia
Disrupted in schizophrenia 1 (DISC1)
translocation between chromosomes 1 and 11, which has also been implicated in depression, bipolar, autism and other mental disorders ( not found in GWAS)
How does a GWAS work?
If one type of the variant (one allele) is more frequent in people with the disease, the SNP is said to be “associated” with the disease
(Initially exons only because of cost, more disease than seeing links to regulation, whole genomes too)
Copy number variations and schizophrenia
Deletions, translocations and duplications of regions are sporadic (as 2/3 schizophrenia cases)
which genes have familial studies indicated in schizophrenia?
DISC1 (synapse function) NRG1 (synapses) RELN (synapses) COMT DRD2 PDE4B PRODH (Glu synthesis) AKT-1 (IC signalling)
which genes have GWAS indicated in schizophrenia?
NRG1 RELN ZNF804A HIST genes Notch4 VMAT2 CACNA1C
which genes have CNV studies indicated in schizophrenia
GLUR7
ERB4 (TKR for NRG1)
NRXN1
SLC1A3
Of the genes implicated in schizophrenia which are developmental?
NRG1
RELN
Notch4
which features schizophrenia does not yet have a genetic link established?
Changes in brain region size
Schizophrenia associated genes (and the pathways, in relation to drug treatments)
Diagram
DISC1
Expressed in all brain regions at birth but high in:
olfactory bulb, cortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus, cerebellum
In adult: highest in hippocampus
(present in neurons AND glia)
Scaffold Protein linked to neurodevelopment and synaptic function
DISC1 interactions
Diagram
DISC1 function in the synapse
Spine number Spine size AMPA receptor expression Frequency of spontaneous release