Methods for diagnosing and treating learning or mental disorders
The present invention embraces methods for the diagnosis and treatment of learning or mental disorders such as schizophrenia using miR-25, miR-98, or miR-185.
1. A method for diagnosing susceptibility to developing a learning or mental disorder comprising
(a) obtaining a biological sample from a subject;
(b) determining the level of at least one microRNA (miR) gene product selected from the group of miR-25, miR-98 and miR-185 with a miR-25 oligonucleotides consisting of SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9 and SEQ ID NO:35, miR-98 oligonucleotides consisting of SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:11, SEQ ID NO:12 and SEQ ID NO:28, or a miR-185 oligonucleotides consisting of SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:14 and SEQ ID NO:15, respectively;
(c) comparing the level of microRNA in the biological sample to a control sample; and
(d) diagnosing susceptibility to developing a learning or mental disorder, wherein a decrease in the level of the microRNA as compared to the control sample indicates that the subject is susceptible to developing a learning or mental disorder.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mental disorder is a psychiatric disease.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the psychiatric disease or mental disorder is selected from the group consisting of schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder, 22q11 deletion syndrome, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and autism spectrum disorder.
4. A method for diagnosing a subject suspected of having a learning or mental disorder comprising
(a) obtaining a biological sample from a subject;
(b) determining the level of at least one microRNA (miR) gene product selected from the group of miR-25, miR-98 and miR-185 with a miR-25 oligonucleotides consisting of SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9 and SEQ ID NO:35, miR-98 oligonucleotides consisting of SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:11, SEQ ID NO:12 and SEQ ID NO:28, or miR-185 oligonucleotides consisting of SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:14 and SEQ ID NO:15, respectively;
(c) comparing the level of microRNA in the biological sample to a control sample; and
(d) diagnosing a learning or mental disorder, wherein a decrease in the level of the microRNA as compared to the control sample indicates that the subject has a learning or mental disorder.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the mental disorder is a psychiatric disease.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the psychiatric disease or mental disorder is selected from the group consisting of schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder, 22q11 deletion syndrome, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and autism spectrum disorder.