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Published online 30 July 2008 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news.2008.994
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Gene surveys identify schizophrenia triggers
Genome deletions raise chances of developing mental illness.
Rare genetic changes associated with a heightened risk of schizophrenia have been revealed by two independent studies.
The surveys have identified sections of the human genome that, when deleted, can elevate the risk of developing schizophrenia by up to 15 times compared with the general population.
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The overlap of CNV genes between ISC and SGENE is remarkable. Many genes localized on ISC's 22q11.2 structural variations have previously been implicated in schizophrenia. Overall, the two studies on copy number variations are significant from the stand point of identifying candidate disease pathways. Similarly, O’Donovan et al's study finding association of a gene in both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder is significant. This finding is expected to accelerate further hunt for genes in broader psychosis phenotype.
The premise of this study is flawed. They only tested people who had been clinically diagnosed? Wouldn't it make more statistical "sense" to test the general population and then screen them?