Study finds single gene that causes schizophrenia, mental illnesses
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New Delhi: German researchers have identified a single gene that can cause schizophrenia and other mental illnesses, marking a breakthrough in understanding the origins of psychiatric disorders.
Until now, conditions such as schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, and depression were believed to result from a combination of multiple factors, including several genetic influences. However, a new study published in Molecular Psychiatry highlights the GRIN2A gene as a key driver.
According to the research, alterations in the GRIN2A gene can directly 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.
The team analysed data from 121 individuals with genetic changes in GRIN2A and found that certain variants were linked not only to schizophrenia but also to other mental illnesses. Notably, symptoms in those with GRIN2A alterations often appeared in childhood or adolescence, unlike the usual onset in adulthood.
While GRIN2A mutations are typically associated with epilepsy or intellectual disability, some individuals in the study displayed only psychiatric symptoms.
The GRIN2A gene plays a crucial role in regulating the electrical excitability of nerve cells. The study found that specific variants reduced the activity of the NMDA receptor, an important molecule in brain signalling.
In an initial treatment series, patients showed significant improvement in psychiatric symptoms when given L-serine, a dietary supplement known to activate the NMDA receptor.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly one in seven people worldwide lived with a mental illness in 2021, with anxiety disorders and depression being the most common. While mental disorders usually have complex causes with strong genetic components, the new findings could open the door to earlier diagnosis and more targeted treatment options.
With IANS inputs