Chromosome 22q11 and schizophrenia

Several human chromosomal regions have been identified as candidate regions that play a role in schizophrenia. Deletion or duplication of chromosome 22q11 is associated with velo-cardio-facial syndrome/DiGeorge syndrome (VCFS/DGS), a disorder associated with high rates of schizophrenia as well as physical abnormalities (i.e., cardiovascular, parathyroid, thymic and craniofacial abnormalities). Recent mouse studies have identified several candidate genes for VCFS/DGS within the mouse homologue chromosome 16. Deletion of Tbx1, Prodh and Comt within mouse chromosome 16 causes several physical and behavioral features of VCFS/DGS. As VCFS/DGS is likely to represent a genetic subtype of schizophrenia, pinpointing the genetic basis for this specific subtype will contribute to a better understanding of this neuropsychiatric disorder.