Gene linked to mental illnesses
Dave Smith
mental illnesses:
Scientists identify gene linked to mental illnesses
Scientists have identified a gene which could be responsible for
depression, bipolar disorders and schizophrenia.
An international team of researchers, led by the University of
Edinburgh, compared genes of 2,000 psychiatric patients to 2,000
healthy people to pinpoint the 'ABCA13' gene.
They discovered it is partially inactive in patients suffering severe
illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression.
The results suggest the gene plays a crucial role in maintaining brain
health as scientists found it was faulty more frequently in patients
with mental illness than the control group.
Identifying the genes that predispose people to psychiatric illness is
considered the most important step in developing new ways to tackle
the condition.
Lead researcher Douglas Blackwood, professor of Psychiatric Genetics
at the University of Edinburgh, said the discovery would help the
development of new drugs to treat mental illness.
He said: ''This is an exciting step forward in our understanding of
the underlying causes of some common mental illnesses.
''These risk genes could signpost new directions for treatments.''
Dr Ben Pickard, of the University of Strathclyde, said the team
believed ABCA13 influences the way fat molecules are used in the
brain.
They are now focused on finding out exactly how that occurs.
Dr Pickard said: ''This study is the first to identify multiple points
of DNA damage within a single gene that are linked with psychiatric
illness.
''It strongly suggests that this gene may regulate an important part
of brain function that fails in individuals diagnosed with these
devastating disorders.''
The research results are published in the American Journal of Human
Genetics.
Peter Brooks
>
>
> ''It strongly suggests that this gene may regulate an important part
> of brain function that fails in individuals diagnosed with these
> devastating disorders.''
>
schizophrenia, at least mild doses of it, being important to
creativity. After all, this gene seems to have survived rather well
for one that is purely destructive.
Dave Smith
Rather a complicated question I would think. I'm not sure how well
'creativity' can be defined and measured, and there might be all sorts
of reasons why a particular gene 'survives'.
Dave Smith
Lance
I think Peter B is making an argument for Darwinian medicine - that
some illnesses survive because they can benefit some individuals at
aprticular times in their lives.
This approach suggests that we need to see illness not just as
something defective, but also as something that may have benefits.
Lance
Dave Smith
>
> - Show quoted text -
Yes, the link between the 'sickle cell trait' and increased immunity
to malaria illustrates the point, I think. However, here a specific
explanation has been offered with supporting data. Also, different
genes are involved rather than one gene being found to be "partially
inactive" or damaged.
Dave Smith