Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells as a Novel Tool in Psychiatric Research

• Published in: Psychiatry investigation Vol. 13; no. 1; pp. 8 - 17
• Main Authors: Kim, Sewoong, Kim, Min-Kyoung, Oh, Daeyoung, Lee, Sang-Hyuk, Kim, Borah
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) Korean Neuropsychiatric Association 01-01-2016; 대한신경정신의학회
• Subjects: Review; 정신과학; Cellular model; Mental disorders; Drug screening; Induced pluripotent stem cells
• ISSN: 1738-3684; 1976-3026
• DOI: 10.4306/pi.2016.13.1.8

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.