Researchers have demonstrated a genetic link between bipolar I disorder and epilepsy, revolutionizing our approach to these two neuropsychiatric diseases and opening new treatment perspectives.
- A study reveals a genetic link between bipolar I disorder (BD-I) and epilepsy, revealing common genetic variants and a causal relationship between these two neuropsychiatric conditions.
- The SP4 gene, involved in mood regulation, could become a key target for new treatments.
- This discovery paves the way for personalized therapies and a better understanding of other disorders such as schizophrenia.
What if bipolar disorder and epilepsy have more in common than we thought? A team of researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences recently discovered a genetic link between these two complex neuropsychiatric pathologies, opening up new avenues for research and treatment. Their work was published in the journal Genomic Psychiatry.
A causal relationship between bipolar I disorder and epilepsy
Led by Dr. Ming Li of the Kunming Institute of Zoology, the scientists drew on genetic data from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of more than 26,000 cases of epilepsy and 25,000 cases of the disorder. bipolar TB-I. They highlighted a “positive genetic correlation” between these two conditions, as well as “1,300 common genetic variants”, according to a press release. They also discovered “six independent genomic loci associated with both epilepsy and TB-I”, and identified “a causal relationship suggesting that epilepsy could contribute to the onset of TB-I”.
These results corroborate “some clinical evidence showing that mood stabilizers used for bipolar disorder, such as lithium, are also effective in managing epileptic seizures.”
Among the genes involved, SP4, strongly associated with both diseases, particularly stands out. This gene, involved in mood regulation and modulated by neuronal activity, is stabilized by lithium, a key drug in the treatment of TB-I. This discovery suggests that SP4 could become a preferred target for new treatments for both bipolar disorder and epilepsy.
Better understanding the neurobiological mechanisms common to mood instability and epileptic seizures could indeed help to better manage mood disorders in epileptic patients, and vice versa, specifies the study.
Personalized treatments according to the patient’s genetic profile
The study also suggests that other neuropsychiatric disorders may share common genetic bases. For example, the genetic overlap between epilepsy and bipolar disorder invites us to explore conditions such as schizophrenia or autism spectrum disorders from this perspective. Researchers finally discuss the possibility of using this knowledge to develop personalized treatments, adjusted according to the genetic profile of each patient.
“Does this advance mark the beginning of a new era of collaboration between neurology and psychiatry aimed at understanding and treating complex brain disorders?”they ask themselves in conclusion.