Project description:We have previously demonstrated functional and molecular changes in hippocampal subfields in individuals with schizophrenia (SZ) psychosis associated with hippocampal excitability. In this study, we use RNA-seq and assess global transcriptome changes in the hippocampal subfields, DG, CA3, and CA1 from individuals with SZ psychosis and controls to elucidate subfield-relevant molecular changes. We also examine changes in gene expression due to antipsychotic medication in the hippocampal subfields from our SZ ON- and OFF-antipsychotic medication cohort. We identify unique subfield-specific molecular profiles in schizophrenia postmortem samples compared to controls, implicating astrocytes in DG, immune mechanisms in CA3, and synaptic scaling in CA1. We show a unique pattern of subfield-specific effects by antipsychotic medication on gene expression levels with scant overlap of genes differentially expressed by SZ disease effect versus medication effect. These hippocampal subfield changes could provide the basis for previously observed hippocampal SZ pathology and explain the lack of full efficacy of conventional antipsychotic medication on SZ symptomatology. With further characterization, the identified distinct molecular profiles of the DG, CA3, and CA1 in SZ psychosis may serve to identify potential hippocampal-based therapeutic targets.
Project description:Genome-wide patterns of DNA methylation were quantified using the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450K BeadChip (“450K array”) in DNA samples isolated from blood for schizophrenia cases, first episode psychosis patients and controls. These samples were profiled as part of a wider study where they were meta-analysed with other cohorts.
Project description:The clinical presentation, course and treatment of methamphetamine-associated psychosis (MAP) are similar to that observed in schizophrenia (SCZ) and subsequently MAP has been hypothesized as a pharmacological and environmental model of SCZ. However, several challenges currently exist in accurately diagnosing MAP at the molecular and neurocognitive level before the MAP model can contribute to the discovery of SCZ biomarkers. We directly assessed subcortical brain structural volumes and clinical parameters of MAP within the framework of an integrative genome-wide RNA-Seq blood transcriptome analysis of subjects diagnosed with MAP (N=10), METH-dependency without psychosis (MA) (N=10) and healthy controls (N=10). We used RNA-Sequencing gene expression to characterize molecular signatures associated to METH and MAP status compared to healthy control subjects. Peripheral blood luekocytes gene expression was subject to transcriptional analysis for 10 MAP subjects, 10 subjects with METH-dependency without psychotic symptomics and 10 healthy controls.
Project description:Background: Psychosis is a defining feature of schizophrenia and highly prevalent in bipolar disorder. Notably, individuals suffering with these illnesses also have major disruptions in sleep and circadian rhythms, and disturbances to sleep and circadian rhythms can precipitate or exacerbate psychotic symptoms. Psychosis is associated with the striatum, though no study to date has directly measured molecular rhythms and determined how they are altered in the striatum of subjects with psychosis. Methods: Here, we perform RNA-sequencing and both differential expression and rhythmicity analyses to investigate diurnal alterations in gene expression in human postmortem striatal subregions (NAc, caudate, and putamen) in subjects with psychosis relative to unaffected comparison subjects. Results: Across regions, we find differential expression of immune-related transcripts and a substantial loss of rhythmicity in core circadian clock genes in subjects with psychosis. In the nucleus accumbens (NAc), mitochondrial-related transcripts have decreased expression in psychosis subjects, but only in those who died at night. Additionally, we find a loss of rhythmicity in small nucleolar RNAs and a gain of rhythmicity in glutamatergic signaling in the NAc of psychosis subjects. Between region comparisons indicate that rhythmicity in the caudate and putamen is far more similar in subjects with psychosis than in matched comparison subjects. Conclusions: Together, these findings reveal differential and rhythmic gene expression differences across the striatum that may contribute to striatal dysfunction and psychosis in psychotic disorders.
Project description:The clinical presentation, course and treatment of methamphetamine-associated psychosis (MAP) are similar to that observed in schizophrenia (SCZ) and subsequently MAP has been hypothesized as a pharmacological and environmental model of SCZ. However, several challenges currently exist in accurately diagnosing MAP at the molecular and neurocognitive level before the MAP model can contribute to the discovery of SCZ biomarkers. We directly assessed subcortical brain structural volumes and clinical parameters of MAP within the framework of an integrative genome-wide RNA-Seq blood transcriptome analysis of subjects diagnosed with MAP (N=10), METH-dependency without psychosis (MA) (N=10) and healthy controls (N=10). We used RNA-Sequencing gene expression to characterize molecular signatures associated to METH and MAP status compared to healthy control subjects.
Project description:Genome-wide patterns of DNA methylation were quantified using the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylationEPIC BeadChip (“EPIC array”) in DNA samples isolated from blood for schizophrenia cases, first episode psychosis patients and controls. These samples were profiled as part of a wider study where they were meta-analysed with other cohorts.
Project description:Genome wide DNA methylation profiling of normal and recent onset psychosis samples . The Infinium Human Methylation 850 K BeadChips was used to obtain DNA methylation profiles across approximately 853 307 CpGs in samples. Samples included 50 normal , 84 recent onset psychosis.