Pattern of gene expression in different stages of schizophrenia: Down-regulation of NPTX2 gene revealed by a meta-analysis of microarray datasets

Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a severe psychiatric disorder with a genetic susceptibility. Alterations in neurochemical signaling, as well as changes in brain structure and function, manifest during the course of SCZ and are likely causative of the symptoms shown by affected individuals. However, little is known about the timing of these changes, particularly in the pre-morbid and prodromal phases of SCZ. Here, we performed a gene-based and pathway-based meta-analysis of 5 microarray datasets from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs)-derived neurons and post-mortem brain tissue from SCZ and healthy controls (HC), with the underlying assumption they might represent the neurobiological make-up of SCZ in the pre-morbid and chronic stages of illness, respectively.

Source: European Neuropsychopharmacology - July 18, 2017 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Mirko Manchia, Ignazio S. Piras, Matthew J. Huentelman, Federica Pinna, Clement C. Zai, James L. Kennedy, Bernardo Carpiniello Source Type: research