All About Bipolar

Posted By atorturedsoul on July 8, 2009

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) partly funded three studies which linked both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder to an area of Chromosome 6 (6p22.1). This area contains genes related to immunity and how and when genes turn on and off.

“This hotspot of association might help to explain how environmental factors affect risk for schizophrenia. For example, there are hints of autoimmune involvement in schizophrenia, such as evidence that offspring of mothers with influenza while pregnant have a higher risk of developing the illness.”

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/2009/schizophrenia-and-bipolar-disorder-share-genetic-roots.shtml

So what does that have to do with bipolar disorder?

“A horde of genetic flaws have been tied to both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in a huge trial that suggests the two mental illnesses have similar roots.

Scientists have long believed that schizophrenia is distinct from bipolar disorder, which is also known as manic depression.

But now the study, which uncovered thousands of genetic errors which predispose people to schizophrenia, showed that many were the same as those that trigger bipolar disorder.”

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1197012/Schizophrenia-genetic-flaws-overlap-bipolar-disorder.html

In short, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are triggered by the same genetic errors and are very closely related illnesses. This has doctors questioning the diagnostics of these two illnesses.

“These new results recommend a fresh look at our diagnostic categories,” said Thomas R. Insel, M.D., director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), part of the National Institutes of Health. “If some of the same genetic risks underlie schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, perhaps these disorders originate from some common vulnerability in brain development.”

The new findings could eventually lead to multi-gene signatures or biomarkers for severe mental disorders. As more is learned about the implicated gene pathways, it may be possible to sort out what’s shared by, or unique to, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, the researchers say.

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/2009/schizophrenia-and-bipolar-disorder-share-genetic-roots.shtml

It’s a big step and the findings of these three studies may provide a springboard for further genetic research.

Related posts:

1. All About Bipolar: Bipolar disorder linked to migraines Studies have shown that people with bipolar disorder, especially bipolar...
2. Cognitive performance, despair gene, and heart disease in bipolar patients Bipolar medication doesn’t impact cognitive performance, the ‘despair’ gene linked...
3. Latest news on bipolar disorder Catch up on some of the latest news about bipolar...
4. Bipolar Disorder or Schizophrenia? What are the differences and similarities in bipolar disorder and...
5. All About Bipolar: Medical ailments linked to mental illness It is well known that scientists have confirmed a link...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Categories: About Bipolar Disorder, Bipolar 1, Bipolar 2, Cyclothymia, NOS
Tags: 6, about, all, bipolar, chromosone, genetic, research, schizophrenia