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schizophrenia

WCPG 2012 — Baby steps for sequencing in schizophrenia

October 18, 2012January 3, 2013michelesolis

More than 600 people gathered in Hamburg, Germany, 14-18 October, to attend the 20th World Congress of Psychiatric Genetics. New sequencing results in schizophrenia highlighted many genetic glitches potentially related to the disorder, but definitively linking them to it will be tricky.

Read this meeting report at Schizophrenia Research Forum.

Exome sequencing hints at prenatal genes in schizophrenia

October 5, 2012January 3, 2013michelesolis

Another round of sequencing in schizophrenia offers up a new batch of genetic mutations in sporadic cases of the disorder. Published online October 3 in Nature Genetics, the study undertakes the largest hunt yet for spontaneously arising “de novo” mutations in the protein-coding regions of the genome.

Read this story at Schizophrenia Research Forum.

New mutations mount as fathers age

August 27, 2012September 6, 2012michelesolis

As a man ages, the chance that his children will carry new, spontaneously occurring mutations grows, according to a study in Nature.

Read this story at Schizophrenia Research Forum.

Blunting psychosis without side effects

June 8, 2012June 8, 2012michelesolis

In Molecular Psychiatry last week, researchers presented two new drugs that show antipsychotic-like effects in mice, without the side effects associated with proven antipsychotics. The new drugs target receptors that might fine tune neurotransmitter signals thought to be off-kilter in schizophrenia.

Read this story at Schizophrenia Research Forum.

Non-invasive brain stimulation tempers hallucinations

June 7, 2012June 8, 2012michelesolis

For 25%-30% of people with schizophrenia, auditory hallucinations continue mostly unabated despite treatment with antipsychotic drugs. A form of non-invasive brain stimulation called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) may quell these diehard symptoms, reports a recent study in American Journal of Psychiatry.

Read this story at Schizophrenia Research Forum.

Genetic studies gain traction

May 29, 2012michelesolis

Three novel schizophrenia genes, and several prior ones, emerge from the latest survey of common variants in schizophrenia. The findings also argue that strict definitions of schizophrenia are not needed for reliable genetic results.

Read this story at Schizophrenia Research Forum.

Chromosome mishaps finger schizophrenia genes in autism

May 22, 2012May 29, 2012michelesolis

Abnormal mixups of chromosome pieces in people with autism point to a whopping 33 genes of interest, according to a study in Cell. Though 22 of the genes had never been linked to autism before, seven are known schizophrenia candidates.

Read this story at Schizophrenia Research Forum.

Putting trust in oxytocin

May 16, 2012May 18, 2012michelesolis

One of the last sessions of the meeting featured talks about oxytocin treatment for schizophrenia. Popularly known as a “trust hormone” oxytocin enhances social behavior, but a checkered pattern of results suggests that oxytocin may help the most in a therapeutic alliance with targeted social skill training.

Read this meeting report at Schizophrenia Research Forum.

A big clue to antipsychotic-induced weight gain

May 15, 2012May 18, 2012michelesolis

The gene encoding the melanocortin 4 receptor, known for its involvement in human obesity, has now been linked to antipsychotic-induced weight gain by a study published in Archives of General Psychiatry. The findings move researchers closer to predicting a person’s response to a drug — in this case a side effect.

Read this article at Schizophrenia Research Forum.

Stress leaves its mark on the brain

March 19, 2012May 12, 2012michelesolis

Stressful experiences turn down signaling of the chemical messenger glutamate in the rat brain, according to a recent study in Neuron. The findings could provide some insight into what makes a brain vulnerable to mental illness.

Read this article at Schizophrenia Research Forum.

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