Abstract
Schizophrenia is one of the most disabling psychiatric conditions. Current treatments target monoamine receptors but this approach does not address the full complexity of the disorder. Here we explore the possibility of developing new anti-psychotics by targeting microRNAs (miRNAs), single stranded RNA molecules, 21 – 23 nucleotides in length that are not translated into proteins and regulate gene expression. The present review reveals that research involving schizophrenia and miRNA is very recent (the earliest report from 2007) and miRNAs add a significant layer of complexity to the pathophysiology of the disorder. However, miRNAs offer an exciting potential not only to understand the underlying mechanisms of schizophrenia, but also for the future development of antipsychotics, as the human miRNA system provides a rich and diverse opportunity for pharmacological targeting. However, technology is still developing in order to produce effective strategies to modulate specific and localized changes in miRNA, particularly in relation to the central nervous system and schizophrenia.
Keywords: Schizophrenia, miRNA, antipsychotics, non-coding nucleic acids
Current Pharmaceutical Design
Title: MicroRNAs: A Novel Therapeutic Target for Schizophrenia
Volume: 17 Issue: 2
Author(s): Javier A. Bravo and Timothy G. Dinan
Affiliation:
Keywords: Schizophrenia, miRNA, antipsychotics, non-coding nucleic acids
Abstract: Schizophrenia is one of the most disabling psychiatric conditions. Current treatments target monoamine receptors but this approach does not address the full complexity of the disorder. Here we explore the possibility of developing new anti-psychotics by targeting microRNAs (miRNAs), single stranded RNA molecules, 21 – 23 nucleotides in length that are not translated into proteins and regulate gene expression. The present review reveals that research involving schizophrenia and miRNA is very recent (the earliest report from 2007) and miRNAs add a significant layer of complexity to the pathophysiology of the disorder. However, miRNAs offer an exciting potential not only to understand the underlying mechanisms of schizophrenia, but also for the future development of antipsychotics, as the human miRNA system provides a rich and diverse opportunity for pharmacological targeting. However, technology is still developing in order to produce effective strategies to modulate specific and localized changes in miRNA, particularly in relation to the central nervous system and schizophrenia.
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Cite this article as:
A. Bravo Javier and G. Dinan Timothy, MicroRNAs: A Novel Therapeutic Target for Schizophrenia, Current Pharmaceutical Design 2011; 17 (2) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138161211795049543
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138161211795049543 |
Print ISSN 1381-6128 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-4286 |
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