Author(s)

Yuxi Wang, Minxing Zhang

Corresponding Author

Minxing Zhang

ABSTRACT

Schizophrenia is one of the common psychoses that would cause hallucinations, delusions, and other psychiatric symptoms. To better understand this disease and to develop various treatment strategies, it is essential to study the mechanism and factors of schizophrenia onset. Diagnosis is an essential part to definite psychiatry. For schizophrenia, the mainstream diagnostic approach emphasis on examining behavioral symptoms which are more accessible than examining physiological alteration. Emerging diagnosis that focusing on molecular change or structure abnormality, though not applied widely yet, could be a potential strategy in future. Genetic mutation and environmental factors could both impact on schizophrenia onset. NRG1(Neuregulin 1), a gene closely relates with neural signaling pathway and neural development, is thought to be associated with schizophrenia onset if it is mutated. Environmental factors that involve both antenatal and postnatal periods could also facilitate disease formation. Current treatment of schizophrenia relies on pharmacological approach along with psychological support. The development of gene-editing technology reveals the possibility of using gene therapy to treat mental diseases like schizophrenia.

KEYWORDS

Schizophrenia, NRG1, gene therapy