Schizophrenia-Shy Gene

Researchers have suggested that the gene that has been linked to shyness (social anxiety) -- the "shy gene" is called 5-HTT, and it comes in two forms. In adults, the short version has been linked to anxiety and to high activity in the brain's fear generating amygdala. But in kids, the picture of how the nature/nurture relationship has been fuzzy. A 2005 study found that children with two copies of the short form tended to be very shy, but earlier studies found no such connection. An explanation may be at hand, suggests a recent research study. "Only children with the short form of the gene and mothers who had little social support and poor social networks, which increases social stress, were shy as 7-year-olds," stated Prof. Fox, whose study appeared in the science journal "Psychological Science". Dr, Fox continued, "We don't know the molecular mechanism by which a mother's [or father's] behavior reaches down to inhibit or elicit the expression of a gene, but clearly that's happening." There have been hints that shy toddlers stay shy if their parents are very protective. But if parents make a conscious effort to get their child to play with other kids when they are young, she is more likely to shake her "innate" introversion. After all, says Prof. Fox, a young child's brain shows an astounding ability to change in response to experience. In an earlier study, he and colleagues found that shy children in day care became less shy once they reached school age than shy kids who had spent their days only with mom.
Studies that support this new view of how nature and nurture combine to influence brain development are accumulating quickly. In 2002, scientists reported that boys with one form of the MAOA gene, long associated with aggression and criminality, had a higher than normal risk of growing up to be antisocial or violent only if they were also neglected or abused as children. If they had the "violence gene" but also a loving, non abusive family, they turned out fine. The short form of the 5-HTT gene is associated with depression and suicide, but only if you experience many highly stressful life events, including growing up in emotionally cold, unsupportive homes marked by stress, conflict and anger. New research has now shown how family stress damages children's brain.
Similarly with schizophrenia it is becoming increasingly evident that having the gene(s) associated with schizophrenia is just a starting point. If you have the genes, but don't experience the environmental contributing factors or "triggers" for schizophrenia - then evidence suggests that you'll never get schizophrenia. However, if you are exposed to certain environmental factors - then the chances seem to increase (and the more environmental factors a person experiences, the higher the risk) that the person will ultimately get schizophrenia.