Rare mutations may have big impact on schizophrenia pathology

Researchers have long searched for genetic influences in schizophrenia, a neurodevelopmental disorder that disrupts brain activity producing hallucinations, delusions, and other cognitive disturbances. However the disease's genetic mutations have been identified in only a small fraction -- fewer than a quarter -- of sequenced patients. A new study now shows that 'somatic' gene mutations in brain cells could account for some of the disease neuropathology.