Novel missense variants in brain morphogenic genes associated with depression and schizophrenia.

Introduction: Impaired function of brain morphogenic genes is considered one of the predisposing factors for the manifestation of psychiatric and cognitive disorders, such as paranoid schizophrenia (SCZ) and major depressive disorder (MDD). Identification of such genes (genes of neurotrophic factors and guidance molecules among them) and their deleterious genetic variants serves as a key to diagnosis, prevention, and possibly treatment of such disorders. In this study, we have examined the prevalence of genomic variants in brain morphogenic genes in individuals with SCZ and MDD within a Russian population.

Morphogenetic theory of mental and cognitive disorders: the role of neurotrophic and guidance molecules.

Mental illness and cognitive disorders represent a serious problem for the modern society. Many studies indicate that mental disorders are polygenic and that impaired brain development may lay the ground for their manifestation. Neural tissue development is a complex and multistage process that involves a large number of distant and contact molecules.

Advances and Obstacles in Using CRISPR/Cas9 Technology for Non-Coding RNA Gene Knockout in Human Mesenchymal Stromal Cells.

Non-coding RNA (ncRNAs) genes have attracted increasing attention in recent years due to their widespread involvement in physiological and pathological processes and regulatory networks. The study of the function and molecular partners of ncRNAs opens up opportunities for the early diagnosis and treatment of previously incurable diseases. However, the classical "loss-of-function" approach in ncRNA function analysis is challenged due to some specific issues.