Archive · 21 Nov 2025
Gene Linked to Schizophrenia and Other Mental Illnesses
Scientists found a special gene called GRIN2A that can cause schizophrenia and other mental illnesses.
This gene can make people sick when they're young, and a simple medicine called L-serine might help.
Many people around the world have mental health problems, and this discovery might help us understand and treat them better.
German researchers identified the GRIN2A gene as a key factor in schizophrenia and other mental illnesses
Changes in GRIN2A can lead to schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, and depression
GRIN2A alterations can cause mental illnesses in childhood or adolescence
Initial treatment with L-serine showed promising results in improving psychiatric symptoms
Mental disorders affect nearly one in seven people worldwide, with anxiety and depression being most common
- Who
- German researchers
- What
- Identified a gene linked to schizophrenia and other mental illnesses
- When
- The study was published in Molecular Psychiatry
- Where
- University of Leipzig Medical Centre
- Why
- To understand the genetic causes of mental illnesses
Genetic Cause
Multifactorial Causes
GRIN2A Gene
Genetic Cause
A single gene can cause mental illnesses on its own
Multifactorial Causes
Mental illnesses arise from an interplay of many factors, including genetic ones
- Gene
- GRIN2A
- Mental Illnesses Linked
- Schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, depression
- Study Participants
- 121 individuals with GRIN2A alteration
- Potential Treatment
- L-serine dietary supplement
- Worldwide Mental Illness Prevalence
- Almost one in seven people