Remnants of Ancient Viruses in Human DNA Related to Schizophrenia and Depression

Recent research has found that DNA remnants of ancient viruses in our genome are linked to increased susceptibility to psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and depression. This highlights a significant, previously underestimated impact of these viral sequences on brain health.

New research led by King’s College London has discovered that thousands of DNA sequences originating from ancient viral infections are expressed in the brain, with some contributing to susceptibility for psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression.

Published in Nature Communications, the study was part-funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre and the US National Institutes of Health (NIH).