Knowing Risk Genes in Schizophrenia Helps Choose Proper Antipsychotic by Angela Mohan on February 26, 2021 at 12:01 PM Current Pharmaceutical Design (Bentham Science Publishers) by Werner and Coveñas. In schizophrenia, 260 risk genes have been discovered, and an association between single SNPs and the clinical efficacy of a specific antipsychotic drug has been established. Among the risk genes in schizophrenia, the COMT, MAO A/B, GAD 67, DAOA, dysbindin-1 and neuregulin-1 genes are described, and their functions can be represented by an updated neural network model of the ventral tegmental area, hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. The COMT and MAO A/B genes encode a decreased dopamine degradation. As a consequence, dopamine hyperactivity via D2 receptors occurs in the hippocampus and ventral tegemental area. The GAD 67 gene encodes a GABA dysfunction. Consequently, GABAergic neurons weakly inhibit D2 dopaminergic neurons in the hippocampus and ventral tegmental area via GABAA receptors.