Molecular basis study on PACAP gene as a risk factor for schizophrenia

临床研究表明，除遗传因素外，环境因素在许多精神疾病的病因中起着关键作用。本研究表明，缺乏PACAP的小鼠的精神分裂症相关行为在发育早期受到环境因素的高度影响。在这个突变体中，我们还发现了5-HT2A受体功能和海马神经元成熟的异常，这表明在缺乏PACAP的小鼠中，这些功能障碍可能参与了精神分裂症相关行为的发展。

Clinical studies suggest that environmental factors, besides genetic factors, play a key role in etiology of many psychiatric disorders. This study demonstrated that schizophrenia-related behaviors in mice lacking PACAP are highly infuluenced by the environmental factors during the early stages of development. In this mutant, we also found abnormalities in the 5-HT2A receptor function and the hippocampal neuron maturation, suggesting possible involvement of these dysfunctions in the development of schizophrenia-related behaviors in mice lacking PACAP.