Genetics of schizophrenia from a clinicial perspective

Abstract

Schizophrenia (SZ) is a common disorder that runs in families. It has a relatively high heritability, i.e. inherited factors account for the major proportion of its etiology. The high heritability has motivated gene mapping studies that have improved in sophistication through the past two decades. Belying earlier expectations, it is now becoming increasingly clear that the cause of SZ does not reside in a single mutation, or even in a single gene. Rather, there are multiple DNA variants, not all of which have been identified. Additional risk may be conferred by interactions between individual DNA variants, as well as ‘gene-environment’ interactions. We review studies that have accounted for a fraction of the heritability. Their relevance to the practising clinician is discussed. We propose that continuing research in DNA variation, in conjunction with rapid ongoing advances in allied fields, will yield dividends from the perspective of diagnosis, treatment prediction through pharmacogenetics, and rational treatment through discoveries in pathogenesis.

Declaration of interest: This work was funded in part by grants from the National Institute of Health (MH63480, D43 TW06167, D43 TW 008302): for USA & India. There are no commercial interests to declare. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this paper.