Scientists have identified 766 genes associated with schizophrenia, including 641 that had not appeared in previous transcriptomic analyses.
This new data comes from a study published in Nature Genetics. The team found that many of these genes were identified thanks to long-range genetic regulatory signals. This evidence reinforces the idea that the genes involved in the disease function as an interconnected network rather than as isolated elements.
The genetic map expands
Researchers compare the finding to turning on the lights in an entire neighbourhood. Until now, they could only observe a few lit houses, but now they can make out a much larger portion of the disease’s genetic map. Rather than acting separately, the variants appear to coordinate and collectively contribute to the risk of developing schizophrenia.
With part of the foundation now revealed, scientists can more precisely investigate the behaviour of the disease and its potential treatments.
How the study was done
The study analyzed genetic data from more than 102,000 people, as well as brain tissue samples from six brain regions obtained from hundreds of donors.
Researchers from the Lieber Institute for Brain Development, the University of Bari, and dozens of psychiatric centers in various countries participated in the project.
The scope of the condition
The World Health Organization estimates that schizophrenia affects about 23 million people worldwide—approximately one in every 345. Although specialists have long recognized the importance of genetics, they still do not know how the numerous biological factors that contribute to the disorder interact.
Having a family history increases the risk, but does not determine it. Some people with close relatives who have the condition never develop the disease, while others are diagnosed without any known family history.
The disease alters one’s perception of reality and typically manifests through hallucinations and delusions. It can also lead to social isolation, lack of motivation, attention problems, memory difficulties, and thought disorders. For many researchers, this diversity of symptoms precisely reflects the complexity of the biological mechanisms underlying the disorder.
There does not appear to be a single gene responsible, but rather an extensive network of interacting processes.
This story originally appeared on WIRED en Español and has been translated from Spanish.
