Investigating the effects of antipsychotic drugs as a treatment for improving the activity of the unc-33 /Dpysl2 gene in C. elegans.

Prenatal stress is hypothesized to contribute to the development of schizophrenia. Lee and colleagues determined that prenatal stress in rats decreases levels of Dpysl2, which is found to be inactivated in schizophrenic patients. UNC-33 , the homolog to Dpysl2 in C. elegans , is important for axonal outgrowth and synapse formation. Herein, we study the effects of antipsychotic drugs on developing C.elegans exposed to stress through high temperatures. Results indicate that the unc-33 promoter was not impacted by antipsychotic drug treatment, but the lifespan was decreased.