Bipolar disorder affects approximately 1-3% of Americans,
causing intense mood swings that are very disruptive to the individual. Recent studies show that variations in
two different genes, CACNA1C and CACNB2, are significantly associated with
psychiatric conditions such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and major
depression. The CACNA1C gene is
known to impact brain function involved in emotion, attention, thinking, and
memory.
Scientists can analyze which genes travel with or segregate
with bipolar disorder by a mechanism called exome sequencing. The trial involves examining the
genomes of the individual with bipolar disorder as well as their family
members. In this particular study,
researchers found 84 genetic variants that were previously linked to schizophrenia
and autism. Those genetic variants
were also considered to be destructive to the gene that is responsible for
coding.
It makes perfect sense that psychiatric conditions such as
schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, autism, and major depression have similar genes in
common. All of those disorders have
similarities in terms of affecting the way we think and feel. I hope to see more progress in
detecting genes responsible for certain psychiatric illnesses in the near
future.
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