Publications by authors named "Dalila Benmessaoud"

Article Synopsis
  • Schizophrenia (SZ) is a complex mental disorder influenced by genetics, and researchers analyzed a large set of genomic data to identify dysfunctional brain networks related to the condition.
  • They identified three overlapping subclusters linked to microtubule function, the actin cytoskeleton, and synaptic transmission, and examined de novo mutations in SZ patients from Algeria, France, and Japan.
  • The study found specific mutations associated with protein functions crucial for the cytoskeleton and transport, and animal experiments indicated that one gene variant led to brain structure issues, suggesting avenues for future therapeutic research.
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Background: For ICD-11, the WHO emphasized the clinical utility of communication and the need to involve service users and carers in the revision process.

Aims: The objective was to assess whether medical vocabulary was accessible, which kinds of feelings it activated, whether and how users and carers would like to rephrase terms, and whether they used diagnosis to talk about mental health experiences.

Method: An innovative protocol focused on two diagnoses (depressive episode and schizophrenia) was implemented in 15 different countries.

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Article Synopsis
  • The DISC1 gene is linked to schizophrenia and its variants may affect the disorder, but previous studies faced issues like sample bias and low statistical power.
  • This study analyzed specific SNPs of the DISC1 gene in independent samples from France and Algeria using family-based methods to improve reliability.
  • Results showed significant over-transmission of a specific allele (C allele of rs6675281) in affected individuals, suggesting that this allele may be associated with more severe negative symptoms of schizophrenia.
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Background: The -1438A/G polymorphism of the 5-HT2A gene has been found to be associated with clinical response to clozapine and other second generation antipsychotics. Testing the impact of this marker on response to first generation antipsychotics (which have a lower affinity for the 5-HT2A receptor) provides the opportunity to help disentangling the two different roles that this polymorphism might have. A psychopharmacogenetic role should be detected only for antipsychotics with high affinity to the 5-HT2A receptor (therefore to second generation antipsychotics).

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