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Genetics of bipolar affective disorder
1Department of Psychiatry, The Institute of Psychiatric Research, 791 Union Drive, Indiana University Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA. jnurnber@iupui.edu
Current Psychiatry Reports
|December 21, 2000
Summary
Bipolar disorder genetics are complex, with heritability supported by family studies. Research identifies several chromosomal regions linked to bipolar disorder, though replication remains a challenge.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Psychiatry
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Bipolar disorder exhibits high heritability, with familial risks significantly elevated.
- Complex inheritance patterns and inconsistent linkage findings pose challenges in genetic research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current understanding of bipolar disorder genetic linkages.
- To identify consistently reported chromosomal regions associated with bipolar disorder.
- To discuss emerging methods and candidate genes in bipolar disorder research.
Main Methods:
- Review of twin, family, and adoption studies for heritability.
- Analysis of linkage studies identifying chromosomal regions.
- Examination of candidate gene association studies.
Main Results:
- Consistent linkage findings reported on chromosomes 18p, 18q, 21q, 12q, 4p, and Xq.
- Overlapping linkage regions with schizophrenia identified on 10p and 13q.
- Preliminary positive results for serotonin transporter (17q) and COMT (22q) genes.
Conclusions:
- Despite replication challenges, specific chromosomal regions show consistent linkage to bipolar disorder.
- Further research integrating multiple methodologies is needed to confirm susceptibility genes.