Genetic Mutations Linked to Increased Risk of Mental Illness Identified

A team of physicians specializing in genetics and neurology has discovered that mutations in the GRIN2A gene are closely linked to mental illnesses such as schizophrenia. The GRIN2A gene regulates communication between neurons by producing the GluN2A protein, which promotes the transmission of electrical signals between nerve cells and facilitates essential processes such as learning, memory, language, and brain development.

This research, published in Molecular Psychiatry, shows that mutations reduce the activity of the NMDA electrical receptor, increasing the risk of developing mental disorders. In the study, out of 121 individuals, 85 had a GRIN2A variant, and 23 of them developed a mental illness, indicating a significantly higher risk for carriers of the mutation.

The patients exhibited strictly psychiatric symptoms, suggesting that environmental or contextual factors are less likely explanations. This finding challenges the previous consensus that mental disorders arise from multiple genetic factors, showing instead that a mutation in a single gene can decisively influence mental health.

The report also references earlier research where treatment with L-serine, an amino acid, showed remarkable improvements in four schizophrenia patients, including the disappearance of hallucinations and remission of paranoia symptoms.

However, the authors caution that this trial cannot yet be considered a definitive therapeutic method, emphasizing the need for further randomized, prospective, double-blind clinical trials. Schizophrenia, affecting approximately 23 million people worldwide, remains a complex disorder with various recognized risk factors, but no single cause has been identified.

This groundbreaking research offers new possibilities for preventive therapies in the future, according to Wired.