New study finds gene behind mental illnesses
German researchers have identified a gene that can lead to schizophrenia and other mental illnesses.
Until now, it was assumed that schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, or depression arise from an interplay of many different factors, including genetic ones.
The research, published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, identified the GRIN2A gene as a key factor. The study demonstrated that changes in GRIN2A can lead to schizophrenia.
"Our current findings indicate that GRIN2A is the first known gene that, on its own, can cause a mental illness. This distinguishes it from the polygenic causes of such disorders that have been assumed to date," said lead author Professor Johannes Lemke, Director of the Institute of Human Genetics at the University of Leipzig Medical Centre.
In the study, the ...
