Supplementary Material for: Neuregulin 3 Knockout Mice Exhibit Behaviors Consistent with Psychotic Disorders

Neuregulin 3 <i>(NRG3) </i>is a paralog of <i>NRG1</i>. Genetic studies in schizophrenia demonstrate that risk variants in NRG3 are associated with cognitive and psychotic symptom severity, and several intronic single nucleotide polymorphisms in <i>NRG3</i> are associated with delusions in patients with schizophrenia. In order to gain insights into the biological function of the gene, we generated a novel <i>Nrg3</i> knockout (KO) mouse model and tested for neurobehavioral phenotypes relevant to psychotic disorders. KO mice displayed novelty-induced hyperactivity, impaired prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle response, and deficient fear conditioning. No gross cytoarchitectonic or layer abnormalities were noted in the brain of KO mice. Our findings suggest that deletion of the <i>Nrg3</i> gene leads to alterations consistent with aspects of schizophrenia. We propose that KO mice will provide a valuable animal model to determine the role of the <i>NRG3</i> in the molecular pathogenesis of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders

Disrupted-in-Schizophrenia-1

Chromosomal abnormalities can be powerful tools to identify genes that influence disease risk. The study of a chromosome translocation that segregated with severe psychiatric illness in a large family led directly to the discovery of a gene disrupted by a chromosomal breakpoint. Disrupted-in-Schizophrenia-1 (DISC1) is now an important candidate risk gene for schizophrenia and affective disorders. We review the work that led up to this discovery and the evidence that it is important in the wider population with schizophrenia and affective disorders. We also discuss the latest findings on the neuronal functions of the protein DISC1 encoded by the gene

Abstracts from Hydrocephalus 2016

[No abstract available