Research techniques: Genetics

Schizophrenia is a severe neuropsychiatric disorder that may impair a person´s ability to care for him- or her-self. The condition is commonly only partially responsive to treatment and it is the cognitive (intellectual) impairments accompanying schizophrenia which best predict outcome.

Recent studies have suggested that neurotransmitter function (particularly dopaminergic) in frontal cortex facilitates aspects of higher cognition. In prefrontal cortex, where there are relatively few dopamine receptors, the activity of enzymes that metabolise dopamine is extremely important in the control of neurotransmitters in the synapse and consequently the functional activity of this neurotransmitter (dopamine).

A number of genes are thought to be responsible for the enzymes that metabolise neurotransmitters such as dopamine, some of which can be found in various forms (polymorphisms), and have different effects on the system, such as the rate of metabolism, which in turn may affect cognitive function.

In collaboration with Professor Gavin Reynolds at Queen´s University Belfast, we are currently extracting DNA from saliva samples of people suffering with schizophrenia to determine if there is link between particular genotypes and cognitive function.