Genes determine our natural make-up, including our physical properties & potentially our behavior too. There is no gene for schizophrenia; however there may be several genes which contribute to the onset of Schizophrenia. Symptoms in SZ such has hallucinations may be caused by a combination of genes that decide how our brains function.

Concordance rates:

The likelihood of any two random individuals having schizophrenia is 1%

Twin studies:

Dizygotic twins are 2 separate ova so have less genetic relatedness.
Monozygotic twins are from 1 ova so have more genetic relatedness.

If SZ has a strong genetic component, then if one identical twin has is, we expect the other twin to also have it

Gottesman et al. reviewed the findings of a number of studies in order to work out the risks of developing schizophrenia and recorded the concordance rates.

This suggests that MZ twins have a higher concordance rate. The closer the genetic relationship, the higher the chance of the 2 people both having schizophrenia.

Kety et al. studies schizophrenics who were separated from their biological family at birth. They found a 14% chance of biological relatives having SZ & only a 2.7% chance of the adoptive families having SZ. This suggests that regardless of environment, genetics play a big part in relatives getting schizophrenia.

	Created by mollymollymoore about 11 years ago

Psychology (Schizophrenia) Note on Genetics, created by mollymollymoore on 23/04/2013.

Genetics