Genomics of Schizophrenia in the South African Xhosa

The goal of this international collaborative project is to identify genes responsible for Schizophrenia in the Xhosa population of South Africa. The vast majority of the genetic basis for Schizophrenia has yet to be explained. We hypothesize that genes and pathways important to Schizophrenia will harbor different, severe disease-causing mutations in different affected individuals. Given the genetic diversity of African populations, we expect to find genes for Schizophrenia that have not yet emerged from studies of other populations. This project will also foster the development of gene discovery research for neuropsychiatric disorders in Africa. Our approach will identify genes important for the disorder in populations worldwide. These genes will stimulate future efforts to develop more effective treatment and prevention strategies.