Abstract
BackgroundSchizophrenia is a severe, heritable, and refractory psychiatric disorder. Several studies have shown that the disrupted in schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) gene is closely associated with schizophrenia by its role in neuronal morphology, synaptic function, brain development, and dopamine homeostasis etc. This study intended to investigate the expression levels of DISC1 gene in schizophrenia patients compared with healthy controls, and the expression variation of DISC1 gene before and after antipsychotic treatment in schizophrenia patients.MethodsIn this study, we compared DISC1 expression levels in blood of 48 healthy controls, and 32 schizophrenia patients before and after 12 weeks of antipsychotic treatment using real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) analysis.ResultsThe expression levels of DISC1 gene in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of schizophrenia patients before antipsychotic treatment were higher than those in healthy controls (P < 0.01); whereas after antipsychotic treatment, the expression levels of DISC1 gene in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of schizophrenia patients still remained increased (P < 0.01).ConclusionsOur study provided further support for the involvement of DISC1 in the development of schizophrenia.
Highlights
Schizophrenia is a severe, heritable, and refractory psychiatric disorder
Since the disrupted in schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) gene was first discovered in a Scottish family with an unusually high incidence of SCZ and other mental disorders [6,7,8], it has been identified as a candidate risk gene for SCZ in multiple genetic and clinical association studies [6, 9]
The expression levels of DISC1 gene in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of SCZ patients were still elevated after 12-week antipsychotic therapy (Z = 3.59, P < 0.01) (Table 2 and Fig. 1)
Summary
Several studies have shown that the disrupted in schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) gene is closely associated with schizophrenia by its role in neuronal morphology, synaptic function, brain development, and dopamine homeostasis etc. Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a chronic, severe mental disorder, accompanied by positive symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, and negative symptoms including decreased motivation, anhedonia, cognitive impairment and social dysfunction [1,2,3]. Since the disrupted in schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) gene was first discovered in a Scottish family with an unusually high incidence of SCZ and other mental disorders [6,7,8], it has been identified as a candidate risk gene for SCZ in multiple genetic and clinical association studies [6, 9]. Degradation of the DISC1 subtype has been shown to lead to neurodevelopmental abnormalities, suggesting that the breakdown of DISC1
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
