Asian Scientist (Aug. 13, 2013) – A new study has found that people susceptible to psychiatric disorders such as depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder have underlying genetic similarities.
The study, by a worldwide consortium of more than 300 medical researchers in more than 250 institutions, is the first to demonstrate such a link.
In the study, published in Nature Genetics, the researchers analyzed genetic information from more than 75,000 people and found significant similarities in the types of genetic variation found in people suffering from depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder.
According to the researchers, their results support the hypothesis that mental illnesses could lie along a spectrum, possibly resulting from shared risk factors.
“Psychiatric disorders account for about one-third of disability worldwide and cause enormous personal and societal burdens, affecting almost everyone, either directly or through friends and family,” said Associate Professor Naomi Wray, the senior author of the study.
“Despite the impact of these disorders, the underlying causes are mostly unknown.”
“Major depression has been a particularly complex challenge, partly because it is so common, but our results now provide clear guidance on what we need to do next to help unravel it.”
The researchers are now working to further identify genetic risk factors for depression and other psychiatric disorders.
The article can be found at: Lee et al. (2013) Genetic Relationship Between Five Psychiatric Disorders Estimated From Genome-Wide SNPs.
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Source: University of Queensland; Photo: Sander van der Wel/Flickr/CC.
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