DNA methylation changes in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder
Caroline M Connor1, Schahram Akbarian
1Program in Neurobiology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01604, USA.
Epigenetics
|April 10, 2008
Summary
The causes of major psychotic disorders like schizophrenia remain unclear. DNA methylation changes in the brain are subtle and often gender-specific in these conditions.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Genetics
Background:
- The etiology of major psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, is poorly understood.
- Postmortem brain studies show altered mRNA expression linked to neurotransmission, metabolism, and myelination.
- Epigenetic mechanisms, particularly DNA methylation, are investigated for their role in these disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of DNA methylation changes in the brain in major psychotic disorders.
- To explore potential links between mRNA alterations and DNA methylation patterns in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of postmortem brain tissue.
- Quantitative assessment of DNA methylation at gene promoter sites.
- Examination of mRNA expression levels.
Main Results:
- Inconsistent results exist regarding DNA methylation changes in psychotic disorders.
- Disease-related methylation changes are quantitatively subtle.
- A recent study identified approximately 100 loci with altered CpG methylation in schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, often gender-specific.
Conclusions:
- Epigenetic mechanisms, specifically DNA methylation, may be involved in major psychotic disorders.
- Further research is needed to understand the origin, timing, and cell-type specificity of these methylation changes in psychosis.
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