SchaferAutismReport: Scientists Link Three Genes in Schizophrenia

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Subject: Scientists Link Three Genes in Schizophrenia

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Vol. 12 No. 112p

In This Issue:

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RESEARCH

Scientists Link Three Genes in Schizophrenia

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•

•

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PEOPLE

Man Accused of Assaulting Autistic Client

Accused Michigan Molester Faces New Charges

Autistic Child Strapped To Toilet; Parents File Suit

Cleanup Program Also Helps Developmentally Disabled Adults

•

EDUCATION

Special Education Struggles In School

•

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ADVOCACY

Heckenlively on the Omnibus Autism Proceeding 7/21-23

N.S. Opposition Leader Calls For Better Services For Autistic Children

Conn. Gov.

Signs Autism Bill

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EVENTS

Bestselling Author Kirby Speak On Vaccines And Autism

Austin Autism Conference

Scholarships Available

Overview of Saving Our Kids, Healing Our Planet Green Expo:

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RESEARCH

Scientists Link Three Genes in Schizophrenia

By Berman tinyurl.com/69548q

An international team of researchers has

linked three genes to the debilitating mental disorder schizophrenia. The

investigators say the findings are the beginning of a search for clues into

the mysterious and disabling mental illness. VOA's Berman reports.

Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder

characterized by hallucinations, delusions and a lack of awareness of one's

surroundings.

The illness strikes approximately one in 100

individuals and runs in families between 70 and 90 percent of the time.

Devoted to finding a cure, the International

Schizophrenia Consortium of 11 research institutes worldwide conducted a

study in which they compared the entire DNA sequence of 3,300 people with

schizophrenia to that of 3,200 healthy individuals.

In three papers published in the journal

Nature, investigators report the discovery of deletions and additions of

large chunks of two chromosomes in the genetic material of people with

schizophrenia.

The scientists also confirm the involvement

of a third genetic abnormality in schizophrenia that had previously been

identified.

Pamela Sklar is a psychiatrist and

geneticist at Massachusetts General Hospital and co-author of the

consortium paper.

Sklar says the findings give hope to people

with the severe mental disorder and their caregivers.

" We have only explained a tiny fraction

of why people might develop schizophrenia, " said Pamela Sklar.

" And of course much more work needs to be done to connect the specific

changes to the full spectrum of genetic factors that might influence

schizophrenia. "

Investigators found the rare genetic

abnormalities in 13 percent of the schizophrenics they studied. But they

also found the DNA glitches in 10 percent of the healthy volunteers.

Investigators say the finding suggests more

genetic abnormalities are involved in the development of schizophrenia. The

discovery may also mean that the mental illness is several disorders rolled

into one.

+ Read more: tinyurl.com/69548q

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