Neuregulin 1 ICE-single nucleotide polymorphism in first episode schizophrenia correlates with cerebral activation in fronto-temporal areas

Authors

Tilo Kircher, University of Aachen
Renate Thienel, University of Aachen
Michael Wagner, University of Bonn
Martina Reske, University of Aachen
Ute Habel, University of Aachen
Thilo Kellermann, University of Aachen
Ingo Frommann, University of Bonn
Sibylle G. Schwab, University of BonnFollow
Wolfgang Wolwer, University of Dusseldorf
Martina von Wilmsdorf, University of Dusseldorf
Dieter F. Braus, Central Institute of Mental Health
Andrea Schmitt, Central Institute of Mental Health
Alexander Rapp, University of Tubingen
Tony Stocker, Brain Imaging Center West (BICW)
N. Jon Shah, Brain Imaging Center West (BICW)
Fritz A. Henn, Central Institute of Mental Health
Heinrich Sauer, University of Jena
Wolfgang Gaebel, University of Dusseldorf
Wolfgang Maier, University of Bonn
Frank Schneider, University of Aachen

RIS ID

103482

Publication Details

Kircher, T., Thienel, R., Wagner, M., Reske, M., Habel, U., Kellermann, T., Frommann, I., Schwab, S., Wolwer, W., von Wilmsdorf, M., Braus, D. F., Schmitt, A., Rapp, A., Stocker, T., Shah, N., Henn, F. A., Sauer, H., Gaebel, W., Maier, W. & Schneider, F. (2009). Neuregulin 1 ICE-single nucleotide polymorphism in first episode schizophrenia correlates with cerebral activation in fronto-temporal areas. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience: official organ of the German society for biological psychiatry, 259 (2), 72-79.

Abstract

The Neuregulin (NRG1) gene has been associated with schizophrenia, but its functional implications are largely unknown. Our aim was to assess differential brain activation between patients carrying an at-risk allele on the Neuregulin 1 gene and patients without this genetic risk. Neural signal changes between 14 first episode schizophrenia patients with the at risk allele (SNP8NRG221533) from the Icelandic core haplotype and 14 without were measured with fMRI during a working memory task. Patients without the at risk allele showed greater activations (P < 0.05; corrected) in the left hippocampus, precuneus and cerebellum, as well as the right anterior cingulate. Brain regions previously associated with the pathology of Schizophrenia are differentially affected in those with a genetic at risk status in the NRG1 gene. Heterogeneity of structural and functional measures within patients characterized by clinical phenotypes may be in part due to this genetic variation.