For the First Time, Mutations in a Single Gene Have Been Linked to Mental Illness

A team of physicians specializing in genetics and neurology discovered that mental illnesses such as schizophrenia are closely linked to mutations in the GRIN2A gene. The scientists mantain that identifying this genetic risk factor opens up the possibility of designing preventive therapies in the future.

The GRIN2A gene regulates communication between neurons by producing the GluN2A protein. When functioning optimally, it promotes the transmission of electrical signals between nerve cells and facilitates essential processes such as learning, memory, language, and brain development.

In their article, published in Molecular Psychiatry , the researchers demonstrated that the gene mutation reduces the activity of the NMDA electrical receptor, which aids in neuronal communication, th