DNA Methylation in Schizophrenia

Lotta-katrin Pries, Sinan Gülöksüz, Gunter Kenis*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterAcademic

Abstract

Schizophrenia is a highly heritable psychiatric condition that displays a complex phenotype. A multitude of genetic susceptibility loci have now been identified, but these fail to explain the high heritability estimates of schizophrenia. In addition, epidemiologically relevant environmental risk factors for schizophrenia may lead to permanent changes in brain function. In conjunction with genetic liability, these environmental risk factors—likely through epigenetic mechanisms—may give rise to schizophrenia, a clinical syndrome characterized by florid psychotic symptoms and moderate to severe cognitive impairment. These pathophysiological features point to the involvement of epigenetic processes. Recently, a wave of studies examining aberrant DNA modifications in schizophrenia was published. This chapter aims to comprehensively review the current findings, from both candidate gene studies and genome-wide approaches, on DNA methylation changes in schizophrenia.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationNeuroepigenomics in Aging and Disease
EditorsRaul Delgado-Morales
Chapter12
Pages211-236
Number of pages26
Volume978
Edition1
ISBN (Electronic)978-3-319-53889-1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 19 May 2017

Publication series

SeriesAdvances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
Volume978
ISSN0065-2598

Keywords

  • DNA methylation
  • Epigenetics
  • Schizophrenia
  • Psychosis
  • METHYLOME-WIDE ASSOCIATION
  • MB-COMT PROMOTER
  • BIPOLAR DISORDER
  • REELIN PROMOTER
  • GENE PROMOTER
  • BDNF GENE
  • PREFRONTAL CORTEX
  • POSTMORTEM BRAIN
  • RISK-FACTORS
  • BLOOD

Cite this