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Schizophrenia: From genes to phenes to disease

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Abstract

This article provides an overview of the past year’s literature on schizophrenia genetics. Quantitative genetics continues to be an important foundation in which family and twin studies have been used to evaluate potential endophenotypes. Research in molecular genetics has focused on detecting multiple genes of small effect, and developments relating to key positional and functional candidate genes are reviewed. Large-scale, multicenter studies are proving to be important in this quest. Research using neuroimaging and animal modeling studies continues to link genotype with phenotype. It is increasingly apparent that some candidate genes considered important in schizophrenia are likely to be relevant to the etiology of other psychotic disorders, including bipolar disorder. This notion may challenge traditional disease classifications, not only in research but potentially in clinical practice.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Academic Unit of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Leeds Institute of Health Sciences, University of Leeds, Charles Thackrah Building, 101 Clarendon Road, Leeds, LS2 9LJ, UK

    Charlotte L. Allan

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  1. Charlotte L. Allan
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  2. Alastair G. Cardno
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  3. Peter McGuffin
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Correspondence to Charlotte L. Allan.

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Allan, C.L., Cardno, A.G. & McGuffin, P. Schizophrenia: From genes to phenes to disease. Curr Psychiatry Rep 10, 339–343 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-008-0054-x

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