Microsatellite Markers of Schizophrenia

Abstract

The invention includes method of determining if a subject is at risk for developing schizophrenia (SZ), schizotypal personality disorder (SPD), or schizoaffective disorder (SD).

1 . A method of determining a human subject's risk of developing schizophrenia (SZ), the method comprising:
 obtaining a sample comprising DNA from the subject; and   determining the size of both alleles of microsatellite marker D22s256 in a sample from the subject,   
       wherein the presence of apparently homozygous alleles indicates that the subject has an increased risk of developing the disorder. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the size of microsatellite marker D22s256 is determined using PCR. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the PCR is performed with a first primer comprising SEQ ID NO:3, and a second primer comprising SEQ ID NO:4. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sample is obtained from the subject by a health care provider. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sample is provided by the subject without the assistance of a health care provider. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining the presence or absence of one or more additional markers associated with schizophrenia. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject is a patient having, or at risk of, schizophrenia. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject is suffering from early, intermediate or aggressive schizophrenia. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject has one or more risk factors associated with SZ. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the risk factors associated with SZ include one or more of: a relative afflicted with schizophrenia, a genetically based phenotypic trait associated with risk for SZ; deficits in working memory; and mixed-handedness, particularly in females. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the subject has one or more of a grandparent, parent, uncle or aunt, sibling, or child who has or had SZ. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the genetically based phenotypic is eye tracking dysfunction. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject is a child, fetus, or embryo, and one of the relatives of the subject has SZ. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising administering a treatment to a subject identified as being at increased risk for developing SZ. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the treatment is a pharmacological or psychosocial treatment for SZ. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising using the information to select a subject population for a clinical trial. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising using the information to stratify a subject population in a clinical trial. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising using the information to stratify subjects that respond to a treatment from those who do not respond to a treatment, or subjects that have negative side effects from those who do not have negative side effects. 
     
     
         19 . A method of selecting a human subject for inclusion or exclusion in a clinical trial, the method comprising:
 obtaining a sample comprising DNA from the subject; and   determining the size of both alleles of microsatellite marker D22s256 in a sample from the subject, wherein the presence of homozygous alleles indicates that the subject has an increased risk of developing the disorder; and   including or excluding the subject based on presence of homozygous alleles.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the clinical trial is of a treatment for SZ.