Gene Could Hold Key to Schizophrenia

By John M Grohol PsyD
January 23, 2006

Deleting a single gene in the brains of mice caused their memories to be affected in way that resembled schizophrenia in humans, U.S. scientists report.

Before the gene was removed, the mice were trained to use external clues to look for chocolate treats buried in sand. But after being injected with a genetically engineered virus that deleted the NR1 gene, the mice were unable to learn a similar task.

The study, by a team from UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, appears in the current issue of The Journal of Neuroscience.

The NR1 gene codes for a part of a protein involved in passing signals between nerve cells used in learning and memory. When drugs are used to block a similar protein in humans, it results in a psychotic state similar to schizophrenia.

“We think that both our genetic rodent model, as well as a new learning and memory test we developed, may provide valuable tools in the investigation of schizophrenia,” study senior author Dr. Robert Greene, a professor of psychiatry, said in a prepared statement.

Dr. John Grohol is the CEO and founder of Psych Central. He has been writing about online behavior, mental health and psychology issues, and the intersection of technology and psychology since 1992.