Genetic explanation for schizophrenia Flashcards
what is a recent estimate for the heritability of schizophrenia - Hilker et al. 2018 ?
79% - which suggests that there is a genetic factor to schizophrenia
what did wright (2014) indicate ?
that there are possibly 700 genes that have been linked to schizophrenia - this figure is now in the thousands
do you need to have a genetic history in order to have the genes for schizophrenia ?
no, your genes can mutate
how can gene mutation occur ?
could be an error during cell division (e.g. cell deletion or duplication of cells)
what is an example of gene deletion ?
DiGeorge syndrome - caused by the deletion of around 30-40 neighbouring genes in a specific part of chromosome 22
what fraction of people with DiGeorge syndrome will likely get schizophrenia ?
1/4
what connection does the COMT gene have to schizophrenia and DiGeorge syndrome ?
the link between schizophrenia and DiGeorge syndrome may be due to the deletion of the COMT gene - the COMT gene produces the COMT enzyme which breaks down neurotransmitters such as dopamine in the prefrontal cortex
how much more likely are people likely to develop schizophrenia if they have abnormalities with their DISC one gene ?
1.4 times more likely
what study found that you are 1.4 times more likely to develop schizophrenia if you have abnormalities in the DISC one gene ?
Kim et al. 2012
what does the DISC one gene code for ?
GABA - a neurotransmitter which regulates other neurotransmitters such glutamate and dopamine in the limbic system
what is the application for the genetic explanation of schizophrenia ?
- can be used to inform genetic counselling
- when a family member receives a diagnosis of schizophrenia - the rest of the family may want to whether the condition is heritable
- “Recurrence Risk” can be calculated by the counsellor
- this can relieve fears of developing schizophrenia
- help inform people on the best family planning options moving forward
