Ancient Viral DNA in Human Genome Linked to Psychiatric Disorders
TL;DR
Recent research has linked ancient viral DNA sequences, known as human endogenous retroviruses (Hervs), in the human genome to susceptibility to psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder. These Hervs, once considered "junk DNA," are now understood to regulate gene expression and may play significant roles in brain function and mental health. The study profiled Herv expression in nearly 800 brain samples and found associations between specific Hervs and psychiatric conditions, suggesting a more critical role for these viral remnants in the brain than previously thought.
Topics:healthsciencehealth#endogenous-retroviruses#genetic-research#human-genome#psychiatric-disorders#schizophrenia#sciencehealth
- Mysterious Viral DNA in Human Genome Linked With Psychiatric Disorders ScienceAlert
- Integrating human endogenous retroviruses into transcriptome-wide association studies highlights novel risk factors for major psychiatric conditions Nature.com
- Depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder linked with ancient viral DNA in our genome – new research The Conversation Indonesia
- Ancient viruses in the human genome linked to mental health conditions New Scientist
- Fossil viruses hidden in our DNA thousands of years ago could be cause of depression The Independent
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