Work

Schizophrenia: a common disease caused by multiple rare alleles

Year: 2007

Type: review

Abstract: Schizophrenia is widely held to stem from the combined effects of multiple common polymorphisms, each with a small impact on disease risk. We suggest an alternative view: that schizophrenia is highly heterogeneous genetically and that many predisposing mutations are highly penetrant and individually rare, even specific to single cases or families. This "common disease--rare alleles" hypothesis is supported by recent findings in human genomics and by allelic and locus heterogeneity for other complex traits. We review the implications of this model for gene discovery research in schizophrenia.

Source: The British Journal of Psychiatry

DOI: 10.1192/bjp.bp.106.025585

Authors: Jon M. McClellan, Ezra Susser, Mary-Claire King

Institutions: University of Washington, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University

Language: English

Topic: Schizophrenia research and treatment

Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: bronze

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health