Auditory brain abnormalities in schizophrenia

We're interested in whether genetic risk of schizophrenia interacts with hearing loss to promote development of schizophrenia-related brain abnormalities. We work with a mouse model of 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome (22q11DS), which is the most significant known cytogenetic risk factor for schizophrenia in humans. We have discovered that like humans with 22q11DS, these mice are highly susceptible to chronic middle ear infections. We've also discovered that this susceptibility arises from developmental defects in muscles lining the Eustachian tube. Currently we are investigating whether auditory brain abnormalities in these mice arise from their genetic abnormality, from experience of hearing impairment, or from interactions between the two factors.

Collaborators:

• Professor Elvira Bramon (Division of Psychiatry, UCL)
• Dr Kuan Hong Wang (National Institute of Mental Health, USA)
• Professor Abigail Tucker (King's College London, UK)
• Professor Peter Scambler (Institute of Child Health, UCL)
• Professor Andrew Forge (Ear Institute, UCL)