Long non-coding RNAs in schizophrenia

Schizophrenia(SCZ) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder worldwide with an around 1% prevalence, SCZ is usually characterized with either delusion and hallucinations or blunted affect and withdrawal or cognitive deficits. Long non-coding RNAs(lncRNAs) are a large fraction of the total ncRNAs pool with regulatory function. Growing evidences have suggested the involvement of lncRNAs in SCZ, highlighting the functional importance of this subclass of brain-enriched RNAs. LncRNAs are abundantly expressed in the brain, affecting neurogenesis, synaptic and stress responses, and neurotrophic and cognitive functions. Impaired expression of lncRNAs has been implicated in several forms of intellectual disability disorders including SCZ, and abnormal expression of certain specific lncRNAs will affect the occurrence and development of SCZ. However, the exact roles and mechanisms of lncRNAs in SCZ remain largely unknown. Here, we reviewed recent advances on SCZ involving lncRNAs regulation, along with the consequences of lncRNAs deregulation for SCZ.