Scientists open the ‘black box’ of schizophrenia with dramatic genetic discovery

[Nuclear Unicorn]

Scientists open the ‘black box’ of schizophrenia with dramatic genetic discovery

For the first time, scientists have pinned down a molecular process in the brain that helps to trigger schizophrenia. The researchers involved in the landmark study, which was published Wednesday in the journal Nature, say the discovery of this new genetic pathway probably reveals what goes wrong neurologically in a young person diagnosed with the devastating disorder.

The study marks a watershed moment, with the potential for early detection and new treatments that were unthinkable just a year ago, according to Steven Hyman, director of the Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research at the Broad Institute at MIT. Hyman, a former director of the National Institute of Mental Health, calls it "the most significant mechanistic study about schizophrenia ever."

"I’m a crusty, old, curmudgeonly skeptic," he said. "But I’m almost giddy about these findings."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2016/01/27/scientists-open-the-black-box-of-schizophrenia-with-dramatic-genetic-finding/

Hope!

[Marrah_G]

1. Wow!!!!!!!!!!

I really hope this leads to some long term treatment

[Hell Hath No Fury]

2. Wow, what an amazing thing it would be --

to rid the world of this hideous disease. I fucking love science!

[randome]

3. A cancer 'moonshot' and now this?

The future may be closer than we think!
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Stop looking for heroes. BE one.[/center][/font][hr]

[valerief]

4. Fascinating!!!

The researchers, chiefly from the Broad Institute, Harvard Medical School and Boston Children's Hospital, found that a person's risk of schizophrenia is dramatically increased if they inherit variants of a gene important to "synaptic pruning" -- the healthy reduction during adolescence of brain cell connections that are no longer needed.

In patients with schizophrenia, a variation in a single position in the DNA sequence marks too many synapses for removal and that pruning goes out of control. The result is an abnormal loss of gray matter.

The genes involved coat the neurons with "eat-me signals," said study co-author Beth Stevens, a neuroscientist at Children's Hospital and Broad. "They are tagging too many synapses. And they're gobbled up."

It also says a cure won't be found for decades. At least, now they know what they're looking for.

This link was also interesting
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2015/08/31/unusual-pattern-of-oral-bacteria-linked-to-schizophrenia-say-two-new-studies/?tid=a_inl

People with schizophrenia harbor different collections of oral bacteria than those without the mental illness, according to two new studies.