MicroRNA Expression in Schizophrenia
Author Information
Author(s): Diana O Perkins, Clark D Jeffries, L Fredrik Jarskog, J Michael Thomson, Keith Woods, Martin A Newman, Joel S Parker, Jianping Jin, Scott M Hammond
Primary Institution: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Hypothesis
Schizophrenia might be associated with altered miRNA profiles.
Conclusion
This study is the first to find altered miRNA profiles in postmortem prefrontal cortex from schizophrenia patients.
Supporting Evidence
- 16 miRNAs were differentially expressed in prefrontal cortex of patient subjects.
- 15 miRNAs were expressed at lower levels and 1 at a higher level compared to unaffected individuals.
- 7 out of 8 miRNAs confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR were also expressed at lower levels in schizophrenia samples.
Takeaway
Scientists looked at tiny molecules in the brain of people with schizophrenia and found that some of them were different compared to people without the illness.
Methodology
The study compared the expression of 264 human miRNAs from postmortem prefrontal cortex tissue of individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder to tissue of psychiatrically unaffected individuals using a custom miRNA microarray.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the small sample size and the specific population studied.
Limitations
The study only included postmortem tissue and may not account for all variables affecting miRNA expression.
Participant Demographics
The study included 15 individuals with schizophrenia and 21 psychiatrically unaffected individuals.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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