Almost 80% of schizophrenia risk is down to genetics
Genetics account for almost 80 per cent of a person's risk of developing schizophrenia, according to new research.
The findings suggest the genes we inherit play a far bigger role than previously believed and mean the seeds are sown before birth.
This offers hope of screening for the devastating mental illness before it takes hold, allowing for more successful treatments, say researchers from the University of Copenhagen who carried out the study.
Symptoms of panic, anger, depression, hallucinations and delusions can all take a heavy toll on sufferers and their families.
Now a study of more than 60,000 people has discovered 79 per cent of the possibility of suffering the disorder can be explained by genetic factors.
Copenhagen researchers say genetic factor play a bigger role in the risk of developing schizophrenia than previously thought (stock photo)
Dr Rikke Hilker, of the University of Copenhagen, said: 'This study is now the most comprehensive and thorough estimate of the heritability of schizophrenia and its diagnostic diversity.
'It is interesting since it indicates the genetic risk for disease seems to be of almost equal importance across the spectrum of schizophrenia.'
Figures suggest around 1 per cent of the world population suffer with schizophrenia, with 220,000 diagnosed in England and Wales.
According to NHS Choices, other risk factors for developing the illness, which typically begins in late adolescence or early adulthood, include pregnancy and birth complications such as a low birth weight, drug abuse and stress.
MAGENET PULSES MAY HOLD KEY TO TREATING SUFFERERS Magnetic pulses can mute the voices that torment schizophrenia sufferers, a recent study has found. More than a third of patients who underwent the pioneering treatment in a trial experienced 'significant relief'. The technique, devised by French experts, involves bombarding a part of the brain that can trigger the auditory hallucinations in schizophrenics. It is the first time scientists have pinpointed the area of the brain that is responsible for making sufferers hear voices. The researchers, based at the University of Caen, said twice daily sessions over two days improves the condition within a fortnight.
How the research was carried out
Researchers anaylsed the nationwide Danish Twin Register, a record of all twins born in Denmark since 1870 and data on 30,000 pairs of twins from the Danish Psychiatric Central Research Register.
Dr John Krystal, the editor of the journal that published the study, Biological Psychiatry, said previous estimates have varied between 50 and 80 per cent.
'It supports the intensive efforts in place to try to identify the genes contributing to the risk for developing schizophrenia,' he said.
Dr Krystal, who is chairman of the department of psychiatry at the Yale University School of Medicine, said the idea schizophrenia is highly heritable is based on the findings of generations of twin studies.
Hope for better treatment options
Half of the 21 million patients worldwide do not receive care for the condition, according to the World Health Organisation.
Even when they do, existing drugs don't get to the root of the illness and there have been few advances in the last 50 years, say experts.
Treatment is currently limited to addressing one specific symptom of the disease – psychosis.
The breakthrough by Dr Hilke and colleagues adds to growing evidence that therapies could eventually nip the disease in the bud.