Quetiapine and the Dopaminergic Epigenetic Control

BACKGROUND: Epigenetic modifications such as DNA-methylation and histone acetylation are known to be involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Aim of the present study is to investigate 1. whether differences in the methylation pattern of the promoters of dopaminergic genes exist between schizophrenic patients and healthy controls and 2. whether treatment with the second generation antipsychotic quetiapine leads to changes in the methylation pattern of those genes in patients suffering from schizophrenia. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: 50 male patients and 50 male controls are to be enrolled into the study. Patients will be treated with quetiapine for 3 weeks. Blood samples will be drawn before treatment and after three weeks to measure DNA-methylation status. Clinical characterisation includes PANSS, AIMS, BDI. Healthy probands will not be treated.