Genetics of schizophrenia: recent advances.

Genetic studies of schizophrenia have been fraught with challenges, yet molecular genetic and genomic methods remain essential to the discovery of the underlying biological mechanisms. Candidate genes and genome scan studies have played a significant role in the search for susceptibility loci. Studies in genetic isolates appear to be providing some of the most consistent results. These populations are characterized by a greater degree of homogeneity, which is hoped to be advantageous in the identification of genes contributing to the disease phenotype. The following review highlights some recent advances in schizophrenia research, with a focus on disease etiology, candidate genes, genome scan studies, and molecular genetic approaches.

From genomics to proteomics: new directions in molecular neuropsychiatry.

Neuropsychiatry, like many other biomedical sciences, has been revolutionized by the advances in genomic technologies over the years. The advent of PCR (polymerase chain reaction) and the sequencing of the human genome have provided invaluable insights into the molecular genetics of the various psychiatric disorders through the study of candidate genes and linkage analyses. However, biological phenotype is dictated by protein expression, which has been shown to stray from the genetic blueprint designated by the genome. Consequently, the field of proteomics has recently emerged as a powerful means of exploring protein structure, function, and expression patterns. The ability to study disease at the gene and protein levels presents a tremendous opportunity for neuropsychiatric research, particularly in terms of the potential for developing therapeutic agents for novel protein targets.