A groundbreaking international study led by the Institute of Human Genetics at the University of Leipzig Medical Center has demonstrated that changes in a single gene can directly cause mental illness.
This finding challenges the previous assumption that mental disorders arise from a complex interplay of multiple genetic factors.
The study, published in Molecular Psychiatry, offers new insights into the genetic basis of mental health conditions like schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, and depression.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), almost one in seven people worldwide were living with a mental illness in 2021, with anxiety disorders and depression being the most common. Mental disorders are known to have complex causes, often with a significant genetic component.
Having a close family member with a mental illness is one of the greatest known risk factors for developing such conditions. Until now, researchers believed that mental illnesses resulted from the combined effects of many genetic factors, each contributing a small effect.
The new research, however, has identified a single gene, GRIN2A, that, when altered, can directly cause a mental illness. This discovery is groundbreaking because it challenges the previous understanding that multiple genetic factors contribute to mental health disorders.
Professor Johannes Lemke, the lead author of the study and Director of the Institute of Human Genetics at the University of Leipzig Medical Center, explained that GRIN2A is the first known gene that, on its own, can cause a mental illness.
In this study, researchers analyzed data from 121 individuals who had a genetic alteration in the GRIN2A gene. The study found that certain variants of this gene are associated not only with schizophrenia but also with other mental health disorders.
One of the most striking findings was that these disorders often appeared in childhood or adolescence, unlike the typical onset of mental illnesses, which usually occurs in adulthood.
The study also uncovered that some individuals with alterations in the GRIN2A gene showed only psychiatric symptoms, without the typical accompanying conditions such as epilepsy or intellectual disabilities.
This finding is significant because it highlights that changes in GRIN2A can specifically lead to psychiatric disorders, a discovery that could have important implications for diagnosis and treatment.
The GRIN2A gene plays a crucial role in regulating the electrical activity of nerve cells in the brain. In particular, the gene affects the NMDA receptor, a key molecule involved in signal transmission between brain cells.
The study found that certain variants of the GRIN2A gene led to reduced activity of the NMDA receptor, which could disrupt normal brain function and contribute to the development of mental health disorders.
In collaboration with Dr. Steffen Syrbe, a pediatric neurologist at Heidelberg University Hospital, Professor Lemke’s team also explored potential treatments for patients with GRIN2A alterations.
In an initial series of treatments, patients showed significant improvements in their psychiatric symptoms after being given L-serine, a dietary supplement that activates the NMDA receptor. This promising result suggests that therapies targeting the NMDA receptor could help treat some of the psychiatric symptoms associated with GRIN2A gene alterations.
This study marks a major milestone in the understanding of the genetic causes of mental health disorders. It emphasizes the importance of studying individual genetic variations to better understand how they contribute to mental illness.
The discovery of GRIN2A’s role in mental illness also highlights the need for tailored treatments for patients with specific genetic alterations.
Professor Lemke and Dr. Syrbe have been collaborating for nearly 15 years, focusing on disorders of the glutamate receptor in the brain, particularly in children with neurological diseases.
As part of this ongoing research, Professor Lemke has established an international registry that now contains the world’s largest cohort of GRIN2A patients. This registry formed the foundation for the current publication and will continue to be an important resource for future research.
The discovery of GRIN2A as a cause of mental illness opens up new possibilities for understanding and treating conditions like schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, and depression. By focusing on the genetic causes of these disorders, scientists hope to develop more effective, personalized therapies that can improve the lives of those affected by mental illness.
If you care about depression, please read studies about how dairy foods may influence depression risk, and B vitamins could help prevent depression and anxiety.
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