Flow of potassium into cells implicated in sch... ( A study on schizophrenia has implica...)

Flow of potassium into cells implicated in schizophrenia

Date:5/6/2009

A study on schizophrenia has implicated machinery that maintains the flow of potassium in cells and revealed a potential molecular target for new treatments. Expression of a previously unknown form of a key such potassium channel was found to be 2.5 fold higher than normal in the brain memory hub of people with the chronic mental illness and linked to a hotspot of genetic variation.

An extensive series of experiments suggest that selectively inhibiting this suspect form could help correct disorganized brain activity in schizophrenia without risk of cardiac side effects associated with some existing antipsychotic medications. Scientists at the National Institutes of Health and European colleagues report on threads of converging evidence in the May, 2009 issue of the journal Nature Medicine.

"The end game in linking genes with complex disorders like schizophrenia requires that we not only demonstrate statistical association, but also show how a gene version acts biologically to confer risk," explained Daniel Weinberger, M.D., director of National Institute of Mental Health's (NIMH) Genes Cognition and Psychosis Program, who led the research. "We found schizophrenia-like effects in brain circuitry and mental processing in perfectly healthy people who carry the risk-associated version of this potassium channel gene, even though they don't show any psychotic behavior."

Evidence suggests that schizophrenia stems from complex interactions between multiple genes and environmental factors. Several candidate genes have recently been statistically linked to the illness in large genome-wide association studies.

"Our study goes further, spanning discovery of a new gene variant, confirmation of its association with the illness, and multi-level probes into how it works in human post mortem brain tissue, the living human brain, and neurons," added Weinberger.

By regulating the flow of potassium ions into the cell,
'/>"/>

Contact: Jules Asher
NIMHpress@nih.gov
301-443-4536
NIH/National Institute of Mental Health
Source:Eurekalert

6

GOOD

Page: 1 2 3
Related biology news :

1. Site used by sodium to control sensitivity of certain potassium ion channels
2. ESF EURYI award winner aims to stop cancer cells reading their own DNA
3. Newly created cancer stem cells could aid breast cancer research
4. AIDS interferes with stem cells in the brain
5. Clemson scientists shed light on molecules in living cells
6. Social habits of cells may hold key to fighting diseases
7. UF scientists reveal how dietary restriction cleans cells
8. Human derived stem cells can repair rat hearts damaged by heart attack
9. Scientists identify embryonic stem cells by appearance alone
10. Cells united against cancer
11. Pittsburgh scientists identify human source of stem cells with potential to repair muscle

Post Your Comments:

Flow of potassium into cells implicated in sch...( A study on schizophrenia has implica...)