Xhosa study sheds light on genetic origins of schizophrenia
Research on DNA is a rare study of an African population, which is more useful as they have greater genetic diversity
The first genetic analysis of schizophrenia in a black African population, which drew on DNA provided by South Africans of Xhosa descent, has found that people with the disorder are more likely to carry rare but damaging genetic mutations than those who are well.
The research sheds new light on the nature of schizophrenia, and scientists hope the knowledge will ultimately help develop new treatment for people all over the world, not just those of Xhosa descent. Schizophrenia is a severe and potentially debilitating brain disorder, characterised by hallucinations and confused speech or behaviour. It affects 0.3%-0.7 % of the world’s population...
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