Schizophrenia News and Research

Latest Schizophrenia News and Research

Chromosome 3p21.1 locus contains common genetic risk for bipolar disorder

One of the biggest challenges in psychiatric genetics has been to replicate findings across large studies. Scientists at King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry have now performed one of the largest ever genetic replication studies of bipolar affective disorder, with 28,000 subjects recruited from 36 different research centers. Their findings provide compelling evidence that the chromosome 3p21.1 locus contains a common genetic risk for bipolar disorder, the PBRM1 gene.

15 Oct 2012

Brain size reduced in schizophrenia patients

Medicated and antipsychotic-naive patients with schizophrenia show significant reductions in brain volume, researchers report.

12 Oct 2012

Key to eczema’s itch uncovered

An influx of neutrophils that secrete a lipid called leukotriene B4 is responsible for triggering the itching and inflammation of the skin typically seen in patients with eczema, suggest study findings.

12 Oct 2012

NRG1 gene plays an important role in cannabis dependence

A paper by Shizhong Han and colleagues in the current issue of Biological Psychiatry implicates a new gene in the risk for cannabis dependence. This gene, NRG1, codes for the ErbB4 receptor, a protein implicated in synaptic development and function.

12 Oct 2012

Investigators provide overview of role of dopamine in modulating the immune system

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is associated with emotions, movement, and the brain's pleasure and reward system. In the current issue of Advances in Neuroimmune Biology, investigators provide a broad overview of the direct and indirect role of dopamine in modulating the immune system and discuss how recent research has opened up new possibilities for treating diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, multiple sclerosis or even the autoimmune disorders.

11 Oct 2012

Factors linked to self-harm in schizophrenia identified

Polysubstance abuse and a high premorbid IQ are significantly associated with self-harm in patients with schizophrenia, UK researchers report.

11 Oct 2012

Antioxidant defense reduced in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder

Results from a Tunisian study suggest that the antioxidant defense system is altered in patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

11 Oct 2012

Inscopix to introduce nVista HD at Neuroscience 2012

Inscopix, Inc. will announce the launch of nVista HD, an end-to-end solution for in vivo brain imaging in freely behaving mice, this weekend at Neuroscience 2012 (SfN).

11 Oct 2012

Addiction and mental health burden higher than all cancers in Ontario

Mental illnesses and addictions take more of a toll on the health of Ontarians than cancer or infectious diseases, according to a new report by the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences and Public Health Ontario - yet this burden could be reduced with treatment, say scientists from Canada's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

11 Oct 2012

Nicotine dependence linked to symptom severity in schizophrenia

Nicotine dependence is associated with increased symptom severity in patients with schizophrenia, UK study results show.

10 Oct 2012

Roitt's Essential Immunology receives BMA Book of the Year Award

John Wiley & Sons, Inc., today announced that Roitt's Essential Immunology, 12th Edition, has won the prestigious British Medical Association (BMA) Book of the Year Award.

10 Oct 2012

PUFA levels reduced in schizophrenia patients

Results from a systematic review and meta-analysis show that erythrocyte membrane concentrations of certain polyunsaturated fatty acids are reduced in the brains of people with schizophrenia.

9 Oct 2012

Kynurenic acid levels increased in bipolar patients with psychotic features

Bipolar disorder patients with a history of psychotic features have higher cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of kynurenic acid (KYNA) than those without such features, research shows.

9 Oct 2012

VTE risk highlighted for rheumatoid arthritis patients

Individuals with rheumatoid arthritis are at an increased risk for venous thromboembolism, research confirms.

8 Oct 2012

Fertility treatment may increase MS disease activity

Findings published in Annals of Neurology suggest that assisted reproduction technology treatment increases multiple sclerosis disease activity.

8 Oct 2012

Pesticide exposure may trigger food allergies

Results from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey suggest that high exposure to dichlorophenols, chemicals found in pesticides and used for chlorinating water, may increase a person’s risk for developing food allergies.

5 Oct 2012

GRID1 thalamo-cortical gene variations absent in schizophrenia

Genetic variation in the glutamate receptor delta 1 gene affects gray matter of the anterior thalamus and left lateral prefrontal cortex in healthy individuals but not among patients with schizophrenia, suggest findings published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research.

5 Oct 2012