ADN mitocondrial, herencia materna y características clínicas asociadas a las enfermedades mitocondriales en la esquizofrenia.

Identifier:  TDX:2676

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TDX2676

Authors:  Verge Estefanía, Begoña

Abstract:
The etiology of schizophrenia is unknown but there is evidence that mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), which is inherited exclusively from the mother, is involved in the development of this disease. This thesis was conceived based on this assumption. In the first study all evidence of maternal inheritance, mitochondrial dysfunction and mtDNA alterations associated with schizophrenia were collected, and the presence of psychotic symptoms in patients with mitochondrial dysfunction caused by mutations in mtDNA were identified. The second study analyzed the risk of schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders in relatives, considering if they shared or did not share mtDNA with the patient. Family members who shared mtDNA with a patient had a higher risk of developing schizophrenia and, moreover, women were more likely to develop depression, anxiety disorders and clinical features associated with mitochondrial disorders. The third study compared the clinical features often present in mitochondrial diseases between schizophrenia patients and control subjects. It was observed that chronic fatigue and seizures were significantly more frequent in the group of patients. The conclusions of this thesis are: 1) There is evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction and maternal inheritance in schizophrenia and psychotic symptoms can occur in patients with a mitochondrial disorder caused by a mtDNA mutation; 2) Family members who share mtDNA with a schizophrenic patient have higher risk of developing the disease than those who do not share mtDNA and, in women, to share mtDNA with a schizophrenic patient confers risk for other psychiatric illnesses such as depression and anxiety disorders; and 3) Clinical features associated with mitochondrial disorders are more common in patients with schizophrenia than in the control population.