Scientists at Aberdeen University have made a breakthrough in understanding how schizophrenia takes shape in sufferers.
It comes after a study examined which genes may be more prevalent in those living with the psychiatric disorder.
During analysis of five groups of patients, scientists at the Institute of Medical Sciences in Ashgrove Road West focused on the ULK4 gene, which has previously been associated with hypertension but never before with mental health conditions.
The research team found that a mutation of ULK4 was found far more frequently in patients with schizophrenia.
They also found a link between the gene and bipolar disorder and depression, with further evidence that it is also prevalent in those with autism.
The research has been published with first author Dr Bing Lang “very excited” by his team’s findings, which could influence new drug treatments for sufferers.
Dr Lang added: “We are very excited by our findings. We still need to do much more work to understand the mechanisms underlying the role of ULK4 in schizophrenia in the hope that this may lead to the discovery of new drug targets for a condition that deprives some sufferers of the ability to lead normal, independent lives.”
He described schizophrenia as a “severe psychiatric disorder” affecting about 1% of the population. He added that genetics had long been linked to the condition but specific genes in sufferers had rarely been identified.
Dr Lang said: “Genetics are estimated to be between 60 and 80% responsible for the condition, but very few specific susceptibility genes for schizophrenia have been firmly confirmed in humans.
“However our results suggest that mutation of the gene ULK4 can be a rare genetic risk factor for schizophrenia as well as other psychiatric disorders.”
The ULK4 gene is now known to regulate many important signalling pathways within nerve cells linked to schizophrenia and stress.
The Aberdeen researchers also discovered that mutation of the gene reduced communication between brain cells.
Professor Colin McCaig, one of the researchers and head of the university’s School of Medical Sciences, added: “This is an important discovery of a gene involved in major mental health disorders, which affects basic nerve cell growth and nerve-to-nerve communication.
“We expect it will form another important piece of the jigsaw that will produce a fuller understanding of what goes wrong in the brain in conditions such as schizophrenia.”