Placenta's Role in Schizophrenia Development Surpasses Brain's.

Over 100 genes associated with schizophrenia risk operate primarily through their role in the placenta, rather than the developing brain, challenging the century-old assumption that genes for schizophrenia risk primarily affect the brain. These risk genes influence the placenta’s critical function of sensing and exchanging nutrients with the mother’s bloodstream, affecting the health of the developing fetus. The findings suggest that assessing placenta health could be key to early intervention and prevention of developmental disorders.