The recent identification of susceptibility genes for schizophrenia, depression and learning and memory dysfunction suggest that psychiatric disorders may be influenced by a small number of genes with multiple actions.

Novartis Foundation Symposium 289

Growth factors and psychiatric disorders

Chair: Moses V. Chao

Psychiatric disorders such as depression, bipolar disease and schizophrenia are debilitating illnesses that are influenced by many genetic and environmental factors. While little is known about the neural circuits that underlie such disorders, the convergence of psychiatric, genetic and basic neuroscience research is providing new and exciting insights.

In recent years genetic studies have identified several growth factors as susceptibility genes for depression, schizophrenia, and learning and memory. This suggests that psychiatric disorders may be influenced by a small number of genes with multiple actions. These genes will provide clues to the biochemical mechanisms and pathways that underlie these complex disorders.

This is the first book to undertake a comprehensive investigation of this research. International leading experts are brought together to discuss the latest findings and look at future directions.

Topics addressed include

• Neuroplasticity and neurotrophic factors.
• Mechanisms of intracellular trafficking of growth factors.
• BDNF gene variants in affective disorders.
• Trophic factors and cognitive functions.
• Neurotrophins and depression.
• Schizophrenia genes and neuropathology.
• Pharmacological treatments of schizophrenia.

Growth factors and psychiatric disorders will be of particular interest to psychiatrists, neurologists and geneticists, as well as cell and molecular biologists, and neuroscientists.