Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 6, 2026
09:43
Efficient Generation Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells from Human Somatic Cells with Sendai-virus
Published on: April 23, 2014
24.1K
Somatic mutations in the human brain: implications for psychiatric research
Masaki Nishioka1, Miki Bundo2,3, Kazuya Iwamoto4
1Division for Counseling and Support, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Molecular Psychiatry
|August 9, 2018
Summary
Somatic mutations in the brain are increasingly recognized as key non-inherited risk factors for psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia. This review explores their role, mechanisms, and detection challenges in neuropsychiatric research.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Genetics
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Psychiatric disorders arise from complex gene-environment interactions.
- Genomic studies identified risk variants, but they explain only part of the liability.
- De novo mutations and somatic mutations are emerging as significant non-inherited risk factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review evidence on somatic mutations in the brain in neuropsychiatric diseases.
- To discuss biological mechanisms underlying brain somatic mutations.
- To highlight technical challenges in detecting these mutations for psychiatric research.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of genomic analyses and psychiatric research.
- Discussion of biological pathways and stochastic developmental events.
- Examination of technical issues in somatic mutation detection.
Main Results:
- Somatic mutations in the brain are identified as crucial non-inherited risk factors.
- These mutations can arise from developmental events and environmental insults.
- Detection of brain somatic mutations presents significant technical hurdles.
Conclusions:
- Somatic mutations in the brain are a critical area for understanding psychiatric disorder etiology.
- Further research is needed to elucidate mechanisms and improve detection methods.
- Addressing technical challenges is essential for advancing psychiatric genetics.
Related Concept Videos
02:21Cancers Originate from Somatic Mutations in a Single Cell
14.9K
Cancer arises from mutations in the critical genes that allow healthy cells to escape cell cycle regulation and acquire the ability to proliferate indefinitely. Though originating from a single mutation event in one of the originator cells, cancer progresses when the mutant cell lines continue to gain more and more mutations, and finally, become malignant. For example, chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) develops initially as a non-lethal increase in white blood cells, which progressively...
14.9K
01:39Mutations
94.5K
Overview
94.5K
01:35Mutations
44.6K
Mutations are changes in the sequence of DNA. These changes can occur spontaneously or they can be induced by exposure to environmental factors. Mutations can be characterized in a number of different ways: whether and how they alter the amino acid sequence of the protein, whether they occur over a small or large area of DNA, and whether they occur in somatic cells or germline cells.
Chromosomal Alterations Are Large-Scale Mutations
While point mutations are changes in a single nucleotide in...
Chromosomal Alterations Are Large-Scale Mutations
While point mutations are changes in a single nucleotide in...
44.6K
00:36Viral Mutations
39.9K
A mutation is a change in the sequence of bases of DNA or RNA in a genome. Some mutations occur during replication of the genome due to errors made by the polymerase enzymes that replicate DNA or RNA. Unlike DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase is prone to errors because it is not capable of “proofreading” its work. Viruses with RNA-based genomes, like HIV, therefore accrue mutations faster than viruses with DNA-based genomes. Because mutation and recombination provide the raw material...
39.9K
01:09Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift
64.5K
In a population that is not at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, the frequency of alleles changes over time. Therefore, any deviations from the five conditions of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium can alter the genetic variation of a given population. Conditions that change the genetic variability of a population include mutations, natural selection, non-random mating, gene flow, and genetic drift (small population size).
64.5K
01:22Somatic Spinal Reflexes
5.3K
Somatic spinal reflexes are rapid, involuntary muscular responses to external stimuli that involve the somatic musculature and the spinal cord.
One of the most well-known somatic spinal reflexes is the stretch reflex, which is activated by the sudden stretching of a muscle. This reflex involves the activation of specialized sensory receptors called muscle spindles, which are located in the muscle tissue and detect changes in the length and speed of muscle contractions. When a muscle is suddenly...
One of the most well-known somatic spinal reflexes is the stretch reflex, which is activated by the sudden stretching of a muscle. This reflex involves the activation of specialized sensory receptors called muscle spindles, which are located in the muscle tissue and detect changes in the length and speed of muscle contractions. When a muscle is suddenly...
5.3K