Schizophrenia Daily News Blog

Genetic Link between Schizophrenia and Alzheimers Found

Gene found to be connected with Schizophrenia and to Alzheimer disease

This week Dr. D. Craig and colleagues, of Queens University Belfast, (Ireland) Department of Geriatric Medicine announced that they have found a link betweek the "Interleukin-1 beta" gene and Alzheimer disease.

However, the explanation for why some patients develop psychotic change in Alzheimer disease is still unclear.

"Psychosis-modifier genes" may act in the setting of neurodegeneration to
produce Alzheimer Disease plus psychosis in a similar way to how genetic modulation during neurodevelopment leads to schizophrenia," the scientists in North Ireland report.

"we tested the association between the functional interleukin-1beta -511 promoter polymorphism with delusions and hallucinations in Alzheimers" and found "Significant associations were found, thus confirming the previously noted increased risk in schizophrenia."

Source: Annals of Neurology (The interleukin 1 beta gene promoter polymorphism (-511) acts as a risk factor for psychosis in Alzheimer's dementia. Ann Neurol, 2004;56(1):121-124).