Mental Illness: Epigenetic Mechanisms in Schizophrenia

Epigenetic factors play a significant role in the development of diseases. Genetic related modifications such as histone modifications, methylation of DNAs, and non-coding RNAs are some of the epigenetic modifications implicated in the development of diseases. Studies have shown that major neurodevelopmental disorders together with psychiatric conditions are caused by abnormalities in numerous epigenetic mechanisms that contribute to the alteration of gene expression in various stages of development. The high hereditability of these diseases is contributed by copy number variants and polymorphisms in schizophrenia. Environmental factors have the potential to contribute to epigenetic modifications. 



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