 |
A new analysis suggests that schizophrenia may be caused by an interaction of genes and viruses in glia cells
July 25, 2002A report in the open access journal BMC Psychiatry presents a new hypothesis that may explain the causes of the psychiatric disease, schizophrenia. The hypothesis hinges on glia, a special type of cell, which is important for the maintenance of the connections between brain cells. By re-examining previously published research the authors suggest that schizophrenia may be caused by a combination of defective genes, which result in deficiencies of a variety of growth factors in glia, and infection by viruses, which may further weaken the glia. They conclude that this "weakening" of glia may result in the breakdown of connections between different brain cells leading to the development of schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia is a severe disabling psychiatric disease, which affects approximately 1 percent of the population. People with schizophrenia often suffer terrifying symptoms such as hearing internal voices, feelings of extreme paranoia and an inability to distinguish reality from fantasy. It is clear that schizophrenia has a strong genetic component, however analysis of individual genes alone will not give us a full understanding the causes of schizophrenia.
Irving Gottesman, one of the authors of this paper and originator of the now widely accepted polygenic model of schizophrenia explains,
"The investigation of individual genes in isolation has its limitations since virtually all important biological phenomena, from normal brain functioning to schizophrenia, are the result of complex systems. What is needed is a systems approach for understanding the development of schizophrenia."
This insight motivated Gottesman, and his colleagues Hans Moises and Tomas Zoega, to apply such an approach to previously published results of schizophrenia research.
Human brains are made up of two main types of cells, nerve cells, which carry electrical impulses around the brain and glia, which are important for the normal development of the brain in the young and the maintenance of nerve connections in adults. The authors argue that many of the genes implicated in the development of schizophrenia code for factors involved in the development of glia cells. In addition they hypothesize that some viral infections may cause additional weakening of glial cells, which in turn may lead to the disruption of brain cell connections and the development of schizophrenia.
"Epidemiological data indicate that all humans must harbor viruses in the glial cells of their brains, and since reproduction is a necessity for these viruses to survive, it seems reasonable to presume that they are reproducing at low levels in glial cells and that this results in an additional weakening of glial functioning", explains Moises.
This new provocative hypothesis bridges the gap between several previously unrelated schizophrenia hypotheses, most notably the genetic, the neurodevelopmental and the virus hypotheses, thereby providing a unifying explanation for the development of schizophrenia. It is hoped that by testing this hypothesis in the laboratory, researchers will come up with new ways of treating this debilitating brain disease.
The new hypothesis is freely available in the peer-reviewed open access journal BMC Psychiatry - http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-244X/2/8/
BioMed Central Limited
Related Schizophrenia Current Events and Schizophrenia News Articles
Genetic risk for schizophrenia is connected to reduced IQ
The relationship between the heritable risk for schizophrenia and low intelligence (IQ) has not been clear. Schizophrenia is commonly associated with cognitive impairments that may cause functional disability.
Circadian clock gene rhythms in brain altered in depression, UC Irvine Health study finds
UC Irvine Health researchers have helped discover that genes controlling circadian clock rhythms are profoundly altered in the brains of people with severe depression.
Researchers discover a missing link in signals contributing to neurodegeneration
In many neurodegenerative diseases the neurons of the brain are over-stimulated and this leads to their destruction. After many failed attempts and much scepticism this process was finally shown last year to be a possible basis for treatment in some patients with stroke.
Nerve stimulation for severe depression changes brain function
For nearly a decade, doctors have used an implanted electronic stimulator to treat severe depression in people who don't respond to standard antidepressant therapy.
Human brain cells developed in lab, grow in mice
A key type of human brain cell developed in the laboratory grows seamlessly when transplanted into the brains of mice, UC San Francisco researchers have discovered, raising hope that these cells might one day be used to treat people with Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, and possibly even Alzheimer's disease, as well as and complications of spinal cord injury such as chronic pain and spasticity.
Do you obsess over your appearance? Your brain might be wired abnormally
Body dysmorphic disorder is a disabling but often misunderstood psychiatric condition in which people perceive themselves to be disfigured and ugly, even though they look normal to others.
Boosting the powers of genomic science
As scientists probe and parse the genetic bases of what makes a human a human (or one human different from another), and vigorously push for greater use of whole genome sequencing, they find themselves increasingly threatened by the unthinkable: Too much data to make full sense of.
Researchers find out why some stress is good for you
Overworked and stressed out? Look on the bright side. Some stress is good for you.
ECT can restore quality of life for some severely depressed patients
Patients whose severe depression goes into remission for six months following electroconvulsive therapy report a quality of life similar to that of healthy individuals, researchers say.
Researchers Confirm Multiple Genes Robustly Contribute to Schizophrenia Risk in Replication Study
Multiple genes contribute to risk for schizophrenia and appear to function in pathways related to transmission of signals in the brain and immunity, according to an international study led by Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy researchers.
More Schizophrenia Current Events and Schizophrenia News Articles
 |
Surviving Schizophrenia: A Manual for Families, Patients, and Providers by E. Fuller Torrey (Author) Since its first publication in 1983, Surviving Schizophrenia has become the standard reference book on the disease and has helped thousands of patients, their families and mental health professionals. In clear language, this much–praised and important book describes the nature, causes, symptoms, treatment and course of schizophrenia and also explores living with it from both the patient and the family's point of view. This new, completely updated fifth edition includes the latest research findings on what causes the disease as well as information about the newest drugs for treatment and answers to the questions most often asked by families, consumers and providers. |
 |
Understanding Schizophrenia: Signs and Symptoms by Digital Direct Ebooks Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling brain disorder that has affected people throughout history. About one percent of Americans have this illness. People with the disorder may hear voices other people don't hear. They may believe other people are reading their minds, controlling their thoughts, or plotting to harm them. This can terrify people with the illness and make them withdrawn or extremely agitated. People with schizophrenia may not make sense when they talk. They may sit for hours without moving or talking. Sometimes people with schizophrenia seem perfectly fine until they talk about what they are really thinking. Families and society are affected by schizophrenia too. Many people with schizophrenia have difficulty holding a job or caring for... |
 |
Me, Myself, and Them: A Firsthand Account of One Young Person's Experience with Schizophrenia (Adolescent Mental Health Initiative) by Kurt Snyder (Author), Raquel E. Gur (Author), Linda Wasmer Andrews (Author) During his second semester at college, Kurt Snyder became convinced that he was about to discover a fabulously important mathematical principle, spending hours lost in daydreams about numbers and symbols. In time, his thoughts took a darker turn, and he became preoccupied with the idea that cars were following him, or that strangers wanted to harm him. Kurt's mind had been hijacked by schizophrenia, a severe mental disorder that typically strikes during the late teen or young adult years. In Me, Myself, and Them, Kurt, now an adult, looks back from the vantage point of recovery and eloquently describes the debilitating changes in thoughts and perceptions that took hold of his life during his teens and twenties. As a memoir, this book is remarkable for its unvarnished look at the slow... |
 |
Schizophrenia: Causes, Symptoms, Signs, Diagnosis and Treatments - Revised Edition - Illustrated by S. Smith by National Institute of Mental Health (Author), National Institutes of Health (Author), US Department of Health and Human Services (Author), S. Smith (Illustrator) This Schizophrenia Book is the revised version of the popular original version titled "Schizophrenia Causes, Symptoms, Signs, Diagnosis and Treatments", written by the: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Author), National Institute of Mental Health (Author), (Author), National Institutes of Health (Author) and S.Smith (Editor) and (Illustrator) This book has been professionally illustrated and edited with a fully hyper-linked table of contents for ease of navigation. A detailed booklet that describes Schizophrenia, symptoms, causes, and treatments, with information on getting help and coping. This booklet is also for family and friends that are looking for further understanding of schizophrenia. You will learn in this Booklet: What is schizophrenia? What are the symptoms of... |
 |
Schizophrenia by Daniel R. Weinberger (Editor), Paul Harrison (Editor) Schizophrenia is one of the most complex and disabling diseases to affect mankind. Relatively little is known about its nature and its origins, and available treatments are inadequate for most patients. As a result, there are inevitable controversies about what causes it, how to diagnose it, and how best to treat it. However, in the past decade, there has been an explosion of new research, with dramatic discoveries involving genetic etiology and epidemiological risk factors. There has also been a catalog of new drugs coming to market, and controversy about the relative advantages and disadvantages of newer compared with older therapies. In addition, developing technologies in genomics, molecular biology and neuroimaging provide streams of new information.This book represents a... |
 |
The Quiet Room: A Journey Out of the Torment of Madness by Lori Schiller (Author), Amanda Bennett (Author) At seventeen Lori Schiller was the perfect child -- the only daughter of an affluent, close-knit family. Six years later she made her first suicide attempt, then wandered the streets of New York City dressed in ragged clothes, tormenting voices crying out in her mind. Lori Schiller had entered the horrifying world of full-blown schizophrenia. She began an ordeal of hospitalizations, halfway houses, relapses, more suicide attempts, and constant, withering despair. But against all odds, she survived. Now in this personal account, she tells how she did it, taking us not only into her own shattered world, but drawing on the words of the doctors who treated her and family members who suffered with her. In this new edition, Lori Schiller recounts the dramatic years following the... |
 |
Schizophrenia: A Blueprint for Recovery by Milt Greek (Author) Schizophrenia: A Blueprint for Recovery provides innovative techniques to work with a person in psychosis, move him or her into recovery, and aid in rejoining mainstream society. Topics include the building of schizophrenic psychosis, hallucinations and false perceptions, working with someone in psychosis, stabilizing on medication, and counseling for self-understanding. The 2012 Revised Edition includes enhancements in understanding psychosis, a discussion of medication and alternatives, and a new appendix to aid in working with a person experiencing psychosis. “After my wife and I read Schizophrenia: A Blueprint for Recovery, it was like a light came on for us.” – Father of young person formerly in psychosis “Milt Greek’s thoughtful, respectful model for engaging... |
 |
Schizophrenia For Dummies by Jerome Levine (Author), Irene S. Levine (Author) Practical tools for leading a happy, productive life Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling mental disorder that afflicts one percent of the population, an estimated 2.5 million people in America alone. The firsthand advice in this reassuring guide will empower the families and caregivers of schizophrenia patients to take charge, offering expert advice on identifying the warning signs, choosing the right health professional, understanding currently available drugs and those on the horizon (as well as their side effects), and evaluating traditional and alternative therapies. |
 |
Schizophrenia Revealed: From Neurons to Social Interactions by Michael Foster Green (Author) For many years, schizophrenia was considered to be a deep and profound mystery. It was generally viewed as unknown and unknowable—beyond the reach of science.In the past ten years, major developments in scientific research have drastically changed the way schizophrenia is viewed. Neuroscience, in particular, has enabled researchers to frame different questions when investigating this illness and we are now coming to a deeper understanding of it. In this much-needed book, Michael Green, an expert in the neurocognition of schizophrenia, presents an integrated overview of schizophrenia covering a wide range of topics in lively, understandable prose. He outlines a neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia, discusses neurocognitive indicators of genetic vulnerability, the... |
 |
Surviving Schizophrenia: A Memoir by Louise Gillett (Author) What you are about to read is a true story. I am an apparently normal happily married mother of four, living the humdrum existence of an ordinary housewife. And I have a diagnosis of schizophrenia, something that I have always felt a deep sense of shame and embarrassment about, and kept hidden for many years. I have agonised for many years over whether to make my story public – I have written this book, re-written it, changed the names, changed them back again, written it again under a pseudonym, tried to change it into a novel... Finally, last year on a writing holiday at the wonderful Arvon Centre in Totleigh Barton, Devon, matters became clear. This is my story, and I am ready to stand by it. It is a true story and any value that it has for others lies in that fact. I have,... |
| © 2013 BrightSurf.com |