Gene expression associated with psychiatric disorders

A method of diagnosing an individual as having schizophrenia or at risk for developing schizophrenia comprising the steps of:

• a) isolating a gene expression product from at least three informative genes shown in FIG. 3 from a biological sample from said individual;
• and
• b) determining the expression of at least three informative genes,
• wherein if the informative genes are expressed at a reduced level in the individual as compared with a normal control, the individual is diagnosed as having schizophrenia or at risk for developing schizophrenia.

A method of diagnosing an individual as having bipolar disorder or at risk for developing bipolar disorder comprising the steps of:

• a) isolating a gene expression product from at least three informative genes shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 from a biological sample from said individual;
• and
• b) determining the expression of at least three informative genes,
• wherein if the informative genes are expressed at an increased level in the individual as compared with a normal control, the individual is diagnosed as having bipolar disorder or at risk for developing bipolar disorder.

A method of classifying a sample as derived from an individual having a psychiatric disorder or at risk for developing a psychiatric disorder comprising the steps of:

• a) isolating a gene expression product from at least three informative genes from one or more cells in said sample;
• and
• b) determining the expression of at least three informative genes,
• wherein said expression is correlated with a psychiatric disorder, thereby classifying the sample.

A method of classifying a sample as derived from an individual having schizophrenia or at risk for developing schizophrenia comprising the steps of:

• a) isolating a gene expression product from at least three informative genes shown in FIG. 3 from one or more cells in said sample;
• and
• b) determining the expression of at least three informative genes,
• wherein if said informative genes are expressed at a reduced level in the sample as compared with a normal control, the sample is classified as derived from an individual having schizophrenia or at risk for developing schizophrenia.

A method of classifying a sample as derived from an individual having bipolar disorder or at risk for developing bipolar disorder comprising the steps of:

• a) isolating a gene expression product from at least three informative genes shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 from one or more cells in said sample;
• and
• b) determining the expression of at least three informative genes,
• wherein if said informative genes are expressed at an increased level in the sample as compared with a normal control, the sample is classified as derived from an individual having bipolar disorder or at risk for developing bipolar disorder.

A method of identifying a compound for use in modulating a psychiatric disorder, comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a cell or cell lysate sample;
• b) contacting the cell or cell lysate sample with a candidate compound;
• and
• c) detecting an increase in expression of at least one informative gene having decreased expression in an individual having a psychiatric disorder,
• wherein a candidate compound that increases the expression of the informative gene is a compound for use in modulating the psychiatric disorder.

A method of identifying a compound for use in modulating a psychiatric disorder, comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a cell or cell lysate sample;
• b) contacting the cell or cell lysate sample with a candidate compound;
• and
• c) detecting a decrease in expression of at least one informative gene having increased expression in an individual having a psychiatric disorder,
• wherein a candidate compound that decreases the expression of the informative gene is a compound for use in modulating the psychiatric disorder.

A method of classifying a sample as derived from pre-frontal cortex or cerebellum comprising the steps of:

• a) isolating a gene expression product from at least three informative genes from one or more cells in said sample;
• and
• b) determining the expression of at least three informative genes,
• wherein said expression is correlated with a sample derived from pre-frontal cortex or cerebellum, thereby classifying the sample.