Genetic Link to Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia
New research indicates that a gene previously known to play an important role in how the brain thinks and builds memories may influence an individual’s risk of developing bipolar disorder. The research also reveals an important regulatory pathway between the gene and a second gene, discovered in 2000, which has been shown to be linked to schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder.
According to a press release from the University of Glasgow regarding research published yesterday in the journal Science, medical research teams at the University of Glasgow and the University of Edinburgh have discovered that damage to a gene called Phosphodiesterase 4B (PDE4B) may increase the risk of developing certain mental disorders.
It has also been shown that a gene known as DISC1 acts as a regulator for PDE4B, creating a ‘pathway’ between the two genes. In earlier work at the University of Edinburgh, completed in 2000, researchers identified the gene they called Disrupted in Schizophrenia 1 (DISC1), and found that it increases the chances of people developing schizophrenia, bipolar disorder (manic depression) and major clinical depression.
In the press release, the researchers commented:
Professor Miles Houslay of the University of Glasgow said: ‘Over the past few years we’ve been working hard to help in the development of medicines for treating asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by inhibiting very similar enzymes to PDE4B. It has been so exciting to work together with the Edinburgh and Merck groups in finding this new link between the gene coding for PDE4B and schizophrenia. This new research has the potential for developing novel ways of diagnosing and treating this debilitating disease.’
Professor David Porteous at the University of Edinburgh said: ‘This is another important breakthrough in our still limited understanding of major mental illness. It is the result of a long-term research commitment to use the tools of genetics to better understand the root causes of mental disorder.’
‘This has been a fantastic combined effort. The collaboration between the Universities of Edinburgh and of Glasgow, jointly with our research colleagues at Merck Sharpe and Dohme has really made this happen.’
‘It is now clear that the DISC1 gene plays an important role in the risk of developing schizophrenia or bipolar affective disorder. The new genetic link we have made to PDE4B and how that links back to DISC1 sheds much needed light on these debilitating disorders. It also suggests a new way of thinking about developing better and effective medicines.’
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i want to know who first was diagonoised with bipolar disorder