Abstract
Objective. The following databases: ProQuest, ScienceDirect, PubMed and EBSCOhost were analyzed using two key words - "GAD1" and "schizophrenia", with preference for papers published since the year 2000. The article presents paradigms and findings of most recent studies on H3 histone hypermethylation at GAD1 gene promoter, methylation of GAD1 gene promoter and assumed implication of these phenomena in the etiopathogenesis of schizophrenia.
Review. The epigenetic (extragenetic) inheritance is defined as involving mechanisms that participate in the emergence of filial cell characteristics unrelated to genetic mutations ofparent cells. One of the epigenetic mechanisms is histone hypermethylation, or direct DNA methylation and subsequent inhibition of gene expression.
Conclusions. Methylation plays an important role in the regulation of genes in GABAergic neurons, and thus in the neurobiology of schizophrenia. The results obtained so far provide a starting point for future theoretical studies and experimental research.