A neurosteroids approach to alleviate depression, using CRISPR technology, is being investigated by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Sage Therapeutics in Boston. Most antidepressant drugs target serotonin receptors, aiming to boost serotonin, a chemical thought to regulate mood and social behavior. Using gene editing, the scientists have been able…
Tag: genetics
Protein Networks Linked With Neurodevelopmental Disorders
150 proteins affecting cell activity and brain development have been identified by researchers at University of Southern California, which contribute to mental disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar condition and depression. It is the first time that these molecules, which are associated with the disrupted-in-schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) protein linked to mental disorders, have been identified. The scientists…
Why People With The APOE4 Gene Have Higher Alzheimer’s Risk
People with a gene variant called APOE4 have a higher risk of developing late-onset Alzheimer’s disease: APOE4 is three times more common among Alzheimer’s patients than it is among the general population. However, little is known about why this version of the APOE gene, which is normally involved in metabolism and transport of fatty molecules…
44 Genetic Risk Factors For Major Depression Identified
44 genetic variants which are risk factors for depression have been mapped out by a global research project. 30 of these variants are newly discovered. The project, a genome-wide association analyses was conducted by the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium and co-led in the UK by King’s College London, is the largest study yet of genetic risk…
Genetic Alterations In Depression Opposite For Men And Women
Men and women with major depressive disorder (MDD) have opposite changes in the expression of the same genes, a new postmortem brain study by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, indicates. The findings show distinct pathology, and suggest that men and women may need different types…
RAB10 Gene Variant Confers Protection Against Alzheimer’s
A rare variant of a gene called RAB10 provides a protective effect for high-risk individuals — elderly people who carry known genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s — who never acquired the disease, a study from Brigham Young University has found. This means there is specific reason why people who should get Alzheimer’s remain healthy. Study…
Decreasing RNA Stress Granules May Slow Alzheimer’s
Decreasing the level of “stress granules,” gritty blobs of RNA that form when things like heat, viruses, or toxins stress a cell, may be a new way to fight Alzheimer’s disease, research from Boston University School of Medicine suggests. The findings offer a new understanding of the biology of Alzheimer’s disease and may eventually offer…
Bilateral Tinnitus Is Linked To Genetic Factors
Tinnitus in both ears, known as bilateral tinnitus, depends on genetic factors, a twin study conducted by researchers at Karolinska Institutet together with colleagues from the European research network TINNET has found. Tinnitus prevalence increases with age and is thought to be related to a number of environmental factors but little research has been done…
Y Chromosome Loss Hikes Alzheimer’s Risk In Men
Loss of the Y chromosome affects up to 1 in 5 men over the age of 80, and is the most common acquired genetic mutations in a man’s lifetime. A new study has found that men with blood cells that do not carry the Y chromosome are at higher risk of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s…