Chromosome aberrations in a schizophrenia population

Cytogenetic abnormalities with schizophrenia may provide a valuable clue to the identification of target loci and successful search for major genes. We have performed chromosomal examinations by using the GTG banding technique on 134 schizophrenics. In 43 patients (32%), random numerical and structural aberrations were detected. Structural aberrations predominated and usually consisted of deletions and inversion of various chromosomes. Numerical changes were present in one or two cells in 14 cases including trizomy 21, marker and acentric chromosomes, and 47,XXY. The seven cases with pericentric inversion and enlargement of the heterochromatin region of chromosome 9 (inv(9); 9qh+) were observed in the study. The incidence (5.2%) of inv(9) and 9qh+ in our schizophrenic patients were found higher than the general population, suggesting that a susceptibility locus for schizophrenia may be located at pericentromeric region of chromosome 9. Our study have detected 1q21, 7q23, inv(9), 9qh+, 11q23, 21q22, 22q11-13 and Xp11-q13 suggested that these chromosomal lesions are prevalent in schizophrenics. The reason for this might be that these anomalies increase risk for schizophrenia in a relatively nonspecific way, such as contributing to disruption of normal embryogenesis of the nervous system.