Scientists have discovered something unexpected: people with schizophrenia may share common genetic traits with those who have weak bones.
This connection could help explain why many patients with schizophrenia also suffer from bone problems like osteoporosis and face higher risks of fractures.
The study was led by Dr. Feng Liu at Tianjin Medical University General Hospital in China. The research team looked at the genetic data of over half a million people.
Their findings, published in the journal Genomic Psychiatry, revealed 195 shared genetic regions—called loci—between schizophrenia and bone health. These shared regions contain more than 1,300 genes that may affect both brain function and bone strength.
Schizophrenia is a mental illness that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. Osteoporosis is a condition that weakens bones, making them more likely to break. At first glance, these two illnesses seem completely unrelated.
But researchers have long noticed that people with schizophrenia often have lower bone density and suffer more fractures. Some blamed this on poor nutrition, lack of sunlight, or side effects from antipsychotic drugs. However, these didn’t fully explain the problem.
Now, this large-scale genetic study offers a new view. The researchers used powerful computer tools to study the entire genome, comparing schizophrenia data with six different bone health traits, including bone mineral density in areas like the heel, spine, and total body.
They found the strongest link between schizophrenia and the heel bone. Among all bone areas studied, heel bone density had the most overlapping genetic signals with schizophrenia. Some genetic variants even had opposite effects—raising the risk for schizophrenia while lowering bone strength, or vice versa.
This mixed effect helps explain why earlier genetic studies did not find strong links. Looking only at average trends across the whole genome missed the smaller, but important, regions where schizophrenia and bone health are closely connected.
The study also found that many of the shared genes were involved in key body processes. These include the way cells process nitrogen and amino acids, which are important for brain chemicals like dopamine and serotonin as well as for building strong bones. Other shared genes help shape how organs grow and how cells respond to signals.
This research brings together three big fields: psychiatry, bone health, and genetics. It also raises important clinical questions.
For example, could doctors one day use a patient’s genetic information to predict their risk of weak bones if they are being treated for schizophrenia? Should bone scans become routine for certain psychiatric patients? Could some antipsychotic drugs be safer for bone health than others?
The researchers believe this new understanding could lead to better care. It might also help doctors choose treatments that are safer for both the brain and bones. In the future, tests could be developed to find people at high risk for both conditions, allowing earlier and more personalized treatment.
However, the study also has some limits. All the people in the study were of European background, so more research is needed to see if the findings apply to other groups. Also, the study looked at common genetic variants, but rare variants or environmental factors could also play a role.
Still, this work opens a new door in medical research. It shows how mental and physical health are closely connected, even at the genetic level. The same genes that help shape the brain may also help build the bones. More research will be needed to explore this link, but this study is a big first step.
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