MicroRNAs, calcium, and a clear path to genetic variation (sans mutations)

By: James V. Kohl | Published on: August 27, 2013

Study provides strongest clues to date for causes of schizophrenia

It is important for me to note that this study focuses on the fact that “Common genetic variation has an important role in the etiology of schizophrenia, and larger studies will allow more detailed understanding of this disorder.” As in other works that link common genetic variation to differences in typical and atypical behavior, the focus has changed during the past decade from mutation-driven evolution (e.g., a ridiculous gene-centric perspective) to epigenetic effects of the sensory environment on genes (a gene x environment perspective) and on common genetic variation.
The gene x environment approach is more difficult to grasp without some knowledge of conserved molecular mechanisms across species from microbes to man, which is probably why so many people denigrated my works when I wrote about GnRH as THE biological core of mammalian behavior. How can anyone possibly grasp the concept of a “biological core” outside the context of nutrient-dependent pheromone-controlled adaptive evolution? Obviously, they must first dispense with ridiculous theories of mutation-driven evolution and focus on common genetic variation associated with sensory input. Duh!
“We now have a clear and obvious path to getting a fairly complete understanding of the genetic part of schizophrenia. That wouldn’t have been possible five years ago.” — Patrick Sullivan
It would have been possible, beginning about ten years ago, if researchers were better informed about the role of the microRNA/messenger RNA balance in adaptive evolution. By 2005, it was perfectly clear to some researchers: The Widespread Impact of Mammalian MicroRNAs on mRNA Repression and Evolution.
In my model, the calcium channel pathway and the “micro-RNA 137” pathway are linked via the nutrient-dependent pheromone-controlled typical and atypical changes in neuronal development that result from epigenetic effects of sensory input on the microRNA/messenger RNA balance. Calcium intake is expected to alter the microRNA/messenger RNA balance. Positive epigenetic effects would benefit the thermodynamics of intercellular signaling, intranuclear interactions, stochastic gene expression, de novo creation of olfactory receptor genes, and organism-level thermoregulation. Negative epigenetic effects of calcium or of other nutrients would be limited by nutrient-dependent pheromone-controlled adaptive evolution.


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