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FarCenter

(19,429 posts) Thu Feb 28, 2013, 12:07 AM Feb 2013

Five mental disorders have common gene problem

Five major psychiatric disorders share a common problem in several faulty genes, according to the biggest study of its kind published on Thursday.

In the widest trawl yet of genetic mutations linked with mental disorders, US-led researchers looked through the DNA code of 33,332 people with autism, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder or schizophrenia.

Their genomes were matched against 27,888 "controls," or people who did not have these illnesses, in a bid to spot tiny changes in genes.

The five diseases have common risk factors in flaws on Chromosomes 2 and 10, and in two genes that help regulate the flow of calcium in brain cells, the investigators found.

One of the genes, called CACNA1C, has previously been fingered in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

Identification of risk loci with shared effects on five major psychiatric disorders: a genome-wide analysis
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(12)62129-1/fulltext#article_upsell

6 replies

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Five mental disorders have common gene problem (Original Post) FarCenter Feb 2013 OP

Impressive. The link doesn't work,though. hedda_foil Feb 2013 #1

Link Fragmented --Try This: On the Road Feb 2013 #2

That would save some grief - hope it's not used to block having children or getting help. freshwest Feb 2013 #3

Gene Therapy Just Inserts an Additional Piece of DNA into Your Cells On the Road Feb 2013 #4

Is it age specific? Could any age get the help? Of course I know some will never get any, but... freshwest Feb 2013 #5

Don't Think It's Age Specific On the Road Feb 2013 #6

hedda_foil

(16,375 posts)

1. Impressive. The link doesn't work,though.

Reply to FarCenter (Original post)

Thu Feb 28, 2013, 12:46 AM

Feb 2013

On the Road

(20,783 posts)

2. Link Fragmented --Try This:

Reply to hedda_foil (Reply #1)

Thu Feb 28, 2013, 01:01 AM

Feb 2013

http://bit.ly/136PsxK

This could be really wonderful news. I wonder if simple gene therapy will be able to basically cure autism and ADD.

freshwest

(53,661 posts)

3. That would save some grief - hope it's not used to block having children or getting help.

Reply to On the Road (Reply #2)

Thu Feb 28, 2013, 01:13 AM

Feb 2013

On the Road

(20,783 posts)

4. Gene Therapy Just Inserts an Additional Piece of DNA into Your Cells

Reply to freshwest (Reply #3)

Thu Feb 28, 2013, 01:28 AM

Feb 2013

via a benign virus. The new DNA would function like the place of the of the missing or defective DNA, it should remove the biological conditions for autism or ADD. If it were to happen, it would be done in a medical facility as a result of getting help, not as a substitute.

freshwest

(53,661 posts)

5. Is it age specific? Could any age get the help? Of course I know some will never get any, but...

Reply to On the Road (Reply #4)

Thu Feb 28, 2013, 01:31 AM

Feb 2013

it's something to look forward to, like the great discovery here a while back about the skin graft technique and the copying machine for cells. What a great time to be alive - for most people.

On the Road

(20,783 posts)

6. Don't Think It's Age Specific

Reply to freshwest (Reply #5)

Thu Feb 28, 2013, 12:05 PM

Feb 2013

It doesn't effect your regular DNA directly. Just adds a smaller DNA string into cells that floats around and manufactures certain proteins or performs other cell functions. I don't believe it would be passed on to someone's children.

It may not be feasible for this specific genetic issue, but it's sure worth investigating. A single gene therapy treatment should be much cheaper than the years of management associated with some of these conditions, not to mention the quality of life for the sufferer. And it would avoid medications such as Ritalin.

Probably, it would be introduced first in a country with less medical regulation like China or Costa Rica.

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