Schizophrenia genetics: dysbindin under the microscope

It is well established that genetic factors strongly contribute to the susceptibility of an individual to schizophrenia. Straub, Kendler and colleagues have published the first of several articles demonstrating a genetic association between schizophrenia and the gene encoding the dystrobrevin-binding protein dysbindin. Although no mutations in the dysbindin gene have been found, the recent identification of a specific risk haplotype in independent samples provides further evidence that dysbindin is a possible schizophrenia susceptibility gene.