Project Summary

Rachel Helena Flomen, Ph.D. (Young Investigator 2006) of the Institute of Psychiatry/King's College London and the University of London, will study the gene CHRNA7’s role in schizophrenia, as it has been linked to an abnormal P50 response, a trait of the condition in which patients fail to respond to irrelevant sounds. CHRNA7 is a gene for a nicotine receptor. Interestingly, abnormal P50 is corrected by nicotine and some antipsychotic drugs, and heavy smoking by people with schizophrenia is believed to have some self-medication effects. CHRNA7 also may interact with another receptor encoded by the CHRMS gene, affecting both nicotine response and susceptibility to schizophrenia. In her study, Dr. Flomen will investigate DNA sequence changes in the complex duplicated region surrounding CHRNA. To identify variants associated with P50, their frequencies will be correlated with P50 response in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder patients, relatives, and controls. Genetic influences on smoking will be investigated in an independent sample of psychosis patients by measuring frequencies in CHRNA7 and CHRMS variants. This work should generate data about genetic predisposition to schizophrenia and/or bipolar disease and smoking risk in psychosis.

Program Area: SCHIZOPHRENIA/PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS\Schizophrenia

Search Again