Elevated brain-derived cell-free DNA among patients with first psychotic episode - a proof-of-concept study.

ABSTRACT: Schizophrenia is a common, severe, and debilitating psychiatric disorder. Despite extensive research there is as yet no biological marker that can aid in its diagnosis and course prediction. This precludes early detection and intervention. Imaging studies suggest brain volume loss around the onset and over the first few years of schizophrenia, and apoptosis has been proposed as the underlying mechanism. Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) fragments are released into the bloodstream following cell death. Tissue-specific methylation patterns allow the identification of the tissue origins of cfDNA. We developed a cocktail of brain-specific DNA methylation markers, and used it to assess the presence of brain-derived cfDNA in the plasma of patients with a first psychotic episode. We detected significantly el

SUBMITTER: Lubotzky A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9203052 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature