Familial leukoencephalopathy in bipolar disorder

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Genetics
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Bipolar disorder is associated with observable changes in deep white matter and subcortical gray nuclei.
• These changes are often detected as focal hyperintensities on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
• Understanding the genetic underpinnings of bipolar disorder is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate potential MRI abnormalities in family members with and without bipolar disorder.
• To examine a family with a strong genetic predisposition to bipolar disorder.
• To explore the relationship between MRI findings and affective illness within families.

Main Methods:

• Acquired MRI scans from 21 members of a single family with a significant history of bipolar disorder.
• Categorized family members based on diagnosed affective disorders, including bipolar disorder, unipolar disorder, and absence of illness.
• Analyzed MRI results for the presence of lesions in white matter and subcortical gray nuclei.

Main Results:

• MRI findings were present in 15 out of 21 family members.
• Abnormalities were detected in all family members with bipolar disorder.
• Notably, MRI findings were also observed in 60% of family members without affective disorder, indicating white matter and subcortical gray nuclei lesions.

Conclusions:

• The high prevalence of MRI findings in both affected and unaffected family members suggests a potential biological marker for bipolar disorder.
• Further research into the link between leukoencephalopathy, chromosome 19, and bipolar disorder may clarify the genetic basis of the illness.
• These MRI findings, while their clinical significance is yet unknown, could aid in characterizing the genetics of bipolar disorder.