Posted by alexandra_k on September 27, 2006, at 2:00:19
In reply to Re: genetics of schizophrenia, posted by notfred on September 27, 2006, at 1:02:14
> The usual suspects, random mutation, background radiation, etc.I don't know enough about this...
I think the 'gene'...
(Now 'gene' is a tricky concept... They found 'fine mapping of the Icelandic 8p locus [that is a particular segment of chromosome i think) led to the identification of 4 haplotypes - i.e., series of alleles at a linked loci... Haplotype sharing between families narrowed the region down to a relatively small area covering the 5' end of a large and very complex gene, neurogulin 1, a gene never before implicated in schizophrenia. These four haplotypes proved to have a common 7 marker core described by two microsatellite markers and five single nucleotide polymorphisms markers, usually referred to as KNPs ("snips"). This core 7 marker haplotype was present in 7.6% of 394 controls (without schizophrenia, or without mental illness in general?) and 14.4% of 402 independent affecteds, therby conferring a relative risk of around 2.1')
I'm a little lost as to what this means...
Huntingtons is associated with a gene IT15 on the short arm of chromosome 4 characterised by a an abnormally long CAG repeat...
Does that mean if they could cut the repeat out... Then the person wouldn't develop Huntingtons?
I'm just wondering whether it is about cutting a bit out or reprogramming the code or what.
Sorry... My knowledge of this stuff is very basic indeed...
Regarding random mutation, background radiation etc I don't know that that would explain the heritability side of things...
poster:alexandra_k
thread:689461
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060919/msgs/689530.html