# Part of the genetic risk for schizophrenia acts through the placenta, research reveals
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An international team led by UPV/EHU and Biobizkaia reveals the relationship between placental DNA methylation and certain neuropsychiatric disorders.
An international team, led by the Immunogenetics Research Laboratory (IRLab) at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) and the Biobizkaia Health Research Institute, has identified associations between modifications in the placenta and the risk of developing schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder.
The study, published in Nature Communications, was coordinated by Dr. Nora Fernandez-Jimenez, assistant professor at the UPV/EHU Faculty of Medicine and Nursing and researcher at Biobizkaia, with Dr. Ariadna Cilleros-Portet as the first author.
The study, which involved 28 researchers from 18 institutions across Europe and the United States, highlights the placenta as a key element in neuropsychiatric development. The research has demonstrated that specific epigenetic modifications in the placenta, particularly DNA methylation, can influence the expression of genes associated with psychiatric disorders. These findings suggest that genetic risk may already manifest during the prenatal stage.