Stress gene 'stuck on' in the brains of people with schizophrenia, study finds
Experts at the University of Sydney have found that a gene involved in regulating the body's response to stress switches on more easily in the brains of people who live with schizophrenia.
Researchers at the University of Sydney and the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry have discovered that a gene involved in regulating the body's stress response is more easily activated in the brains of individuals with schizophrenia. The FKBP5 gene and its corresponding FKBP51 protein help control the strength of the body's reaction to stress hormones like cortisol.
Using postmortem brain tissue from individuals with schizophrenia, the researchers found that the chemical tags typically controlling the FKBP5 gene had been removed, resulting in heightened gene activity. Dr. Natalie Matosin explained that this condition, akin to having a high-volume speaker, can exacerbate brain vulnerability to psychiatric issues over time.
The study also revealed that these stress-response system alterations intensify with age, potentially affecting brain circuitry and increasing susceptibility to psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia.
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