| abstract |
The present invention generally relates to the field of neurological, physiological and psychotic dysfunctions associated with a mental disorder such as schizophrenia, or a predisposition therefor. The invention further relates to genes and proteins, which, when varied in their normal expression, their nucleic acid sequence or in their activity, are associated with the mental disorder. Accordingly, the present invention relates to methods for diagnosis and to methods for prevention and/or treatment of a mental disorder. The present invention additionally relates to compositions for use in diagnosis and to kits for diagnosis of a mental disorder. The invention also relates to the use of a protein or polynucleotide for the manufacture of a medicament for use in the treatment and/or prevention and to a pharmaceutical composition for use in prevention and/or treatment of a mental disorder. Further, the invention relates to methods for screening for a modulator of a mental disorder. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods, compositions and kits, a microarray and reagents for determining the presence of at least one polymorphism and/or at least one combination of polymorphisms of at least one copy of a gene involved in regulating the intracellular glutathione (GSH) level and/or GSH-oxidative stress-related gene expression in a human being. Further, the invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for use in the treatment and/or prevention of a mental disorder, to the use of an active ingredient such as a protein or polynucleotide for the manufacture of a medicament for use in the treatment and/or prevention of a mental disorder in patients with specific polymorphisms in genes involved in regulating the intracellular GSH level and/or GSH-oxidative stress-related gene expression. The invention also relates to methods of preventing and/or treating a mental disorder comprising administering a medicament to patients having said polymorphisms and to methods of screening for a modulator of a mental disorder. |