ZNF804A encodes a zinc finger transcription factor with roles in neurodevelopment and psychiatric disease susceptibility. Functionally, ZNF804A localizes to the cytoplasm, nucleus, and neuronal compartments including dendritic spines and growth cones, where it regulates neuron projection development and gene expression 1. The protein functions as a transcription factor in human brain tissue, particularly in addiction-relevant regions like the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex 2. Mechanistically, ZNF804A expression is regulated upstream by miR-148b-3p, which directly binds the 3' untranslated region of ZNF804A mRNA to suppress its expression 3. ZNF804A then regulates downstream genes including COMT and PRSS16 3. The risk allele rs1344706 associates with reduced D2/D3 dopamine receptor availability in the striatum, suggesting dopaminergic pathway involvement 4. Clinically, ZNF804A variants represent robust psychosis susceptibility loci. The rs1344706 SNP achieves genome-wide significance for schizophrenia across multiple populations 1, with associations confirmed in both Caucasian and Asian populations 5. Beyond schizophrenia, rs1344706 associates with bipolar disorder type I 6, major mood disorders 7, and heroin addiction 2. The gene shows gene-environment interactions, with ZNF804A genotype modulating cannabis use effects on psychosis proneness 8.