The epigenetics of schizophrenia is the study of how the environment and external factors shape and influence the onset and development of, and vulnerability to the psychological and neurological disorder, schizophrenia. Epigenetics also studies how these genetic modifications could be passed on to future generations. Schizophrenia is a severely debilitating and misunderstood disease that affects nearly 1% of the world population[1]. Epigenetics offers a new avenue for research as the study of purely genetics has produced inconsistent and variable results.
Background
History
There have been 3 schools of thought in the understanding of studying schizophrenia. Kraeplin introduced it as an illness. Another paradigm was the stress-vulnerability model. The last is the one focused on the symptoms. [2]
Epigenetics has been studied as far back as 1942, when Conrad Waddington described it as how the environment regulated genetics [3]
Heritability
Environmental Risks
Advanced paternal age is one of the risk factors for schizophrenia, according to recent research. This is possibly through mutagenesis, which cause further spontaneous changes, or through genomic imprinting [4]
There is also scientific evidence of the association between the inhalation of benzene through the burning of wood and schizophrenic development. This might occur through epigenetic changes. [5]
Despite questions, recent scientific findings have shown that there is no link between the use of cannabis and the development of schizophrenia. These studies have been done through family and medical history examinations. [6]
Epigenetic Mechanisms
Epigenetics is the study of changes in the genetic code that can be inherited.
DNA Methylation
Methylation of DNA is done by the addition of a methyl group to CpG islands in the DNA. This leads to a constriction of the chromosome and silencing of the gene by preventing transcription.
Histone Modification
Histones are proteins that DNA chromosome are wrapped around. Histones can be activated or deactivated, leading to the opening of transcription sites.
Heritability of Epigenome
Methods of Research
These include cellular and molecular genetic studies, mass genomic computational studies, transgenic and diseased animal models, and postmortem tissue analyses, one of the only current ways to study epigenetics in human schizophrenics. [1]
Schizophrenia
Positive Symptoms
Positive symptoms of schizophrenia include ones such as hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, disorganized behavior, and catatonia. The targets of the traditional psychotic medications target positive symptoms.
Negative Symptoms
Negative symptoms of schizophrenia include flat tone, blunted emotions, asocial behavior, and significant cognitive impairments.
Efficacy of Antipsychotics
There is growing amount evidence that the target of epigenetic treatments will target how effective antipsychotics are.
Development of Disorder
References
- ^ a b Roth, T.L., Lubin, F.D., Sodhi, M., Kleinman, J. E., 2009, Epigenetic Mechanisms in Schizophrenia, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, Vol. 1790, 869-77.
- ^ Kaplan, R.M.(2008).Being Bleuler: The second century of schizophrenia.Australasian Psychiatry,16,305-311,doi:10.1080
- ^ Pidsley, R. & Mill, J.(2011).Epigenetic studies of psychosis: Current findings, methodological approaches, and implications for postmortem research.Biological Psychiatry, 69(2), 146-156
- ^ van Os, J., Rutten, B., Poulton, R., 2008, Gene-Environment Interactions in Schizophrenia: Review of Epidemiological Findings and Future Directions, Schizophrenia Bulletin, Vol. 34, 1066-1082.
- ^ Ross, C. M.(2009). Epigenetics, traffic and firewood. Schizophrenia research, 109(1-3), 193
- ^ Makkos, Z., Fejes, L., Inczédy-Farkas, G., Kassai-Farkas, A., Faludi, G. & Lazary, J.(2011). Psychopharmacological comparison of schizophrenia spectrum disorder with and without cannabis dependency.Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry, 35,212-217
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