Psychiatry Investig.  2016 Jan;13(1):8-17. 10.4306/pi.2016.13.1.8.

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells as a Novel Tool in Psychiatric Research

• Kim S
• Kim MK
• Oh D
• Lee SH
• Kim B

• KMID: 2316592
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4306/pi.2016.13.1.8

Abstract

Reprogramming of somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) provides a valuable opportunity to study neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative psychiatric diseases by offering an unlimited source for patient-specific neuronal and glial cells. The present review focuses on the recent advancements in modeling psychiatric disorders such as Phelan-McDermid syndrome, Timothy syndrome, Rett syndrome, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and dementia. The treatment effects identified in studies on iPSCs using known therapeutic compounds are also summarized in this review. Here we discuss validation of cellular models and explore iPSCs as a novel drug screening tool. Although there are several limitations associated with the current methods used to study mental disorders, using iPSCs as a model system provides the advantage of rewinding and reviewing the development and degeneration of human neural cells.

Keyword

Induced pluripotent stem cells; Mental disorders; Cellular model; Drug screening

MeSH Terms

Bipolar Disorder
Dementia
Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
Humans
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells*
Mental Disorders
Neuroglia
Neurons
Rett Syndrome
Schizophrenia