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Schizophrenia (SCZ), is considered as one of the most debilitating mental disorders around the world. Symptom-based clinical interview and numerous tests have been used to evaluate the diagnosis and also cognitive disturbances in patients with SCZ. All these tests measure phenotype-based functions. Thus, it seems accurate diagnosis of such complex disorders must rely on more valid and reliable factors. In this study, we evaluated the association of transcription factor 4 (TCF4) gene mRNA level in peripheral blood with SCZ, and also its psychopathology, cognitive and intellectual impairments. In this study, using real-time PCR, we compared TCF4 mRNA level between the case (70 unmedicated schizophrenia patients) and healthy control (n = 72) groups. In addition, all subjects underwent Psychopathology (PANSS) and cognitive and intelligence (WAIS, WMS, Stroop, WCST) assessments, and scores were compared between the two groups. Also, to determine the effect of TCF4 expression on psychopathology, cognitive and intellectual functions, the correlation between expression level and test scores was measured. The correlation between gene expression and age of onset and duration of the disorder was evaluated as well. Our results showed that theTCF4mRNA level, psychopathology, cognitive and intellectual functions were significantly different in all, male, and female patients compared to healthy participants. Additionally, it was found thatTCF4level is positively correlated with scores of WAIS and WMS and is negatively correlated with Stroop and WCST errors and PANSS score. Our results showed that the mRNA level ofTCF4may be associated with SCZ, its psychopathology, IQ and cognitive impairments in an Iranian group of patients with SCZ. These results may help to better understanding theTCF4role in the psychopathogenesis of SCZ and also may shed some light on the ongoing works conducted on peripheral biomarker-based diagnosis of complicated mental disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by recurrent obtrusive and repetitive acts typically occurred following anxiety. In the last two decades, studies done on the gene sequences, large-scale and point mutations and gene–gene, gene–environment and gene–drug interactions have led to the discovery of hundreds of genes associated with OCD. Although each gene in turn is a part of the etiology of this disorder; however, OCD, like other mental disorders is complex and a comprehensive and integrated view is necessary to understand its genetic basis. In this study, through an extensive review of existing published studies, all genes associated with OCD were found. Then, in order to integrate the results, all the interactions between these genes were explored and the achievement was represented as an interactive genetic network. Furthermore, the reconstructed network was analyzed. It was found thatGRIN2A,GRIN2BandGRIA2are the most central nodes in the network. Functional and pathway enrichment analysis showed that glutamate-related pathways are the main deficient systems in patients with OCD. By studying genes shared between OCD and other diseases, it was cleared that OCD, epilepsy and some types of cancer have the most number of shared genes. The results of this study, in addition to reviewing the available results as a comprehensive and integrated manner, provide new hypotheses for future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]