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Schahram Akbarian, M.D., Ph.D. Scientific Council Member 1993, 2000 NARSAD Young Investigator Grantee 1997 Klerman Prizewinner Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience Chief of the Division of Psychiatric Epigenomics Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Expert on mental illness
January 16, 2013

A number of environmental influences acting on the developing brain are suspected to increase or trigger susceptibility to mental illness. For example, maternal infections during pregnancy or obstetric complications have been the focus of numerous studies. However, these factors make, generally speaking, only a small contribution to the overall risk to develop, for example, schizophrenia and whether or not epigenetics plays a causal role in these scenarios is still under investigation.

Schahram Akbarian, M.D., Ph.D.
Scientific Council Member
1993, 2000 NARSAD Young Investigator Grantee
1997 Klerman Prizewinner
Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience
Chief of the Division of Psychiatric Epigenomics
Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Bryan Roth, M.D., Ph.D.
Q How long will it take to get real improvements in treatment for illnesses like schizophrenia?
A There are several novel medications in both early- and later-stage... More >
Schahram Akbarian, M.D., Ph.D. Scientific Council Member 1993, 2000 NARSAD Young Investigator Grantee 1997 Klerman Prizewinner Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience Chief of the Division of Psychiatric Epigenomics Mount Sinai School of Medicine, expert on schizophrenia
Q There are endless genetic studies for mental illness and yet the treatments don’t seem to be getting better. Why is there still such an emphasis on understanding the genetics?
A This is an excellent question. Once a disease-associated gene has been... More >