THE NUMBER OF TRIPLET REPEATS IN 5 BRAIN-EXPRESSED LOCI WITH CAG REPEATS IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA

We have previously shown that large expansions of CAG (CTG) triplets a re associated both with schizophrenia itself and with an early age-at- onset of the disease. However, the repeat expansion detection (RED) me thod used did not provide a chromosomal location for the expanded regi on(s) (Morris et al., 1995). In a further study of our schizophrenic a nd control patients, we have now examined the length of the repeated s equence in five loci that are expressed in brain and are known to cont ain CAG repeat regions (Li et al., 1993). No enlarged repeat regions w ere identified; it is unlikely therefore that expansions at any of the se five loci can account for expansions of up to 136 triplets identifi ed by the RED method. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.