Is the dysbindin gene (DTNBP1) a susceptibility gene for schizophrenia?

Over recent years the gene DTNBP1 (chromosome 6p24-22) has emerged as one of the most promising candidate genes for schizophrenia. In this article, we review the current genetic evidence that implicates DTNBP1 as a schizophrenia-susceptibility gene. While there is now impressive support from genetic association studies, it is important to remain aware that the actual DTNBP1 susceptibility variants have not been identified. While functional analyses have allowed us to speculate their likely function, only when they are identified will we be able to confidently specify the type of altered gene function that is relevant to schizophrenia pathogenesis. This we hope will then open up new vistas for neurobiological research, allowing us to study the exact contribution of DTNBP1 in schizophrenia, its relationships with various aspects of the phenotype, and the potential of epistatic interactions with other genes, as well as functional interactions between the gene products.

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