A groundbreaking study led by the University of Zurich has identified a potential genetic link between schizophrenia and changes in the retina, offering new insights into early detection and potential future treatments for the disorder.
The retina, a key part of the central nervous system, is closely connected to the brain. This relationship has prompted researchers to explore whether changes in the brain, such as those seen in schizophrenia, might also be detectable in the eyes. An international research team from the University of Zurich and the University Hospital of Psychiatry Zurich conducted a study to investigate whether retinal changes could be linked to genetic predispositions for schizophrenia, given that impaired neural processing is a hallmark of the condition.
Previous studies have shown that schizophrenia not only leads to a reduction in gray matter volume in the brain, but also causes loss of retinal tissue. However, the question of whether these changes are a cause or a consequence of the disorder has remained unresolved. Factors such as antipsychotic medications, lifestyle habits, or diabetes may also influence retinal health in individuals with schizophrenia.
To explore the connection between schizophrenia risk and neural changes, the researchers analyzed genetic and retinal data from tens of thousands of healthy individuals, using extensive data from the UK Biobank—a large biomedical database with information from more than half a million people. “The scale of the UK Biobank’s data has revolutionized biomedical research,” said Finn Rabe, the study’s lead author and a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Zurich.
The findings revealed that individuals with a higher genetic susceptibility to schizophrenia had thinner retinas, suggesting that these changes are linked to the genetic risk for the disorder. However, the effect was small, and the researchers noted that such results can only be reliably observed in large-scale studies. One of the study’s significant conclusions is that unlike brain changes, retinal changes are easier to detect using non-invasive, low-cost methods such as optical coherence tomography (OCT), a technique akin to ultrasound for the eye. OCT allows retinal thickness to be measured in just a few minutes.
This discovery opens the door to potential preventative strategies. “Our study shows the potential of optical coherence tomography for use in clinical practice, but large-scale longitudinal studies are necessary to determine its effectiveness in prevention,” Rabe explained.
Another important finding from the study centers on genetic variants linked to inflammatory processes in the brain. These variants may contribute to structural changes in the retina, supporting the inflammation hypothesis of schizophrenia—the idea that inflammatory processes play a role in the development or progression of the disorder. “If this hypothesis is confirmed, inflammation could be targeted with medication, potentially leading to improved treatment options in the future,” Rabe said.
The study’s results offer promising new avenues for early detection and treatment, with retinal scans becoming a potential tool for identifying those at genetic risk for schizophrenia, and for advancing our understanding of the disease’s underlying causes.
You Might Be Interested In:
-
Maternal Childhood Trauma Linked to Rapid Weight Gain in Baby Boys
-
Metabolic Syndrome in Midlife Linked to Higher Risk of Young-Onset Dementia
-
Mediterranean Diet Proven to Help Manage Rheumatoid Arthritis and Hashimoto’s, Study Finds
