A new, in-depth genetic study, published in JAMA Psychiatry, finds a potential link between bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and autism. Although the findings are tentative, they open the door to new avenues of investigation.
Bipolar disorder, previously called manic depression, causes dramatic shifts in mood, along with swings in activity and energy levels.
Thought to affect almost 1 to 3 percent of Americans, bipolar disorder can be an incredibly disruptive condition.
Bipolar disorder is thought to share a common genetic origin with a number of other psychiatric conditions. Although evidence of this connection is growing, the search is still in its infancy.
New research, led by Dr. James Potash, puts another gene-shaped piece in the jigsaw. The study was a joint venture, conducted at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, MD, and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, NY.
 |
| The genetics behind psychiatric disorders are slowly revealed. |
Source: medicalnewstoday
