64. This is the number of genes associated with bipolar disorders identified by American researchers. Among these genetic variations, 33 were unknown to science and would also be likely to increase the risks of schizophrenia and major depression.
- There are DNA variations involved in communication between brain cells and calcium signaling that increase the risk of bipolar disorder.
- 17 genes linked to bipolarity could also be linked to the development of schizophrenia.
Bipolar disorder is an inherited mental illness characterized by strong swings in mood, usually ranging from mania or hypomania to depression. Around 45 million people worldwide are thought to be affected.
Published in the journal Nature Genetics, this research involved 41,917 cases of bipolar disorder and 371,549 controls of European ancestry. The aim of this “genome-wide association study” (GWAS) was to compare the DNA variants of the participants, in the hope of detecting genetic markers potentially linked to the onset of the disease.
“It is well established that bipolar disorder has a strong genetic basis and identifying DNA variations that increase risk may provide insight into the underlying biology of the disease.”, says Niamh Mullins, a psychiatric geneticist from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and principal investigator of the study.
17 DNA variations potentially linked to schizophrenia
In their latest work, Prof. Mullins and her team have identified 64 regions of the genome containing DNA variations that increase the risk of bipolarity, including 33 that have not been identified until now. “Our study found DNA variations involved in brain cell communication and calcium signaling that increase the risk of bipolar disorder”, explains Pr Mullins.
Of the 64 genomics suspected of causing an increased risk of bipolarity, 17 may also be linked to the development of schizophrenia, while seven may be associated with major depression. According to the researchers, these data represent “the first significant genome-wide loci overlap between mood disorders”. Loci refer to fixed positions on a chromosome.
The results obtained by these scientists also support previous genetic and clinical evidence establishing correlations between bipolarity and sleep disorders, as well as alcoholism and smoking.
“Together, these results provide insight into the biological etiology of bipolar disorder, identify new therapeutic avenues, and prioritize genes for functional follow-up studies.”, explain the authors of the study.
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