Schizophrenia is known to have a genetic component, and variants in 10 genes have been identified as markedly increasing schizophrenia risk. But together, these genes account for under 5 percent of cases. New research suggests another important contributor to schizophrenia: distinctive patterns of non-inherited (somatic) mutations. These mutations appear to have occurred as the brain was forming and affect just a portion of its neurons.

From Christopher Walsh and colleagues, co-first authors Eduardo A Maury, Attila Jones, and Vladimir Seplyarskiy. Read more at Boston Children’s Hospitals Answers.