Genetics of schizophrenia

The genetic basis of schizophrenia has been a hotly debated research topic for decades, yet recent studies, especially in the past year, have confirmed genetics as the major cause of this complex condition. Psychiatry has come of age: it is perhaps more difficult for the current generation of psychiatrists, to comprehend how the biological root of the condition could have been denied for so long. Here we review how highly collaborative global efforts to pool samples, utilise the very latest advances in genotyping and high throughput sequencing technologies, and application of robust statistical analysis have reaped phenomenal rewards. The major findings are that schizophrenia is a highly polygenic disorder with a complex array of risk loci, many include genes implicated also in intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorders, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder. These candidate genes converge on key neuronal signalling pathways identifying novel targets for potential future therapeutic intervention.