# International Research Group finds Genetic Link to five Psychiatric Diseases



## tanstaafl28 (Sep 10, 2012)

*Scientists have found a number of genetic triggers common to five different major psychiatric diseases, pushing them in new directions for potentially one day treating or preventing the diseases all together. But there's still a long way to go before that day comes.
*A study published in The Lancet on Thursday reveals that a common genetic thread links five well-known psychiatric diseases: autism, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder and schizophrenia.

The study was conducted by an international research collaboration, looking at the genomes of more than 60,000 patients of European ancestry. Scientists hope the findings will clear up how these diseases are classified, moving from describing symptoms to identifying underlying causes. And once other scientists dig into the data, there may be some progress made on treating these five diseases.

Dr. Jordan Smoller, one of the lead researchers on the study and associate vice chair in the department of psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, said the researchers were surprised to find several regions of the genome common to all five diseases.

There's very little information as yet about what these genetic triggers might actually do, though.

"This points us to some leads that really need to be followed up," Smoller said. "One thing we might think of is there is some early, very basic alteration in some of the brain circuitry or these channels that give us a susceptibility to a broad range of psychiatric difficulties."

To be sure, though, not everyone who has these genetic risk factors develops a mental illness, leading Smoller to wonder if they might just make the brain more susceptible to other environmental or physical influences.

"They only account for a small fraction of risk. One could have all of these genetic variances we identify in the paper and still not develop a disorder. But they do point us to new biology we hope one day will point us to opportunities for treatment," he added.

International research group finds genetic link among five major psychiatric diseases | PRI.ORG

Thoughts?


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## Stelmaria (Sep 30, 2011)

Medicine is slowly conforming with reality - that reductionistic models don't really predict disease (even in the case of a virus or SNP), but rather a set of risk factors that come together to cause a disease.

These findings are interesting, but much follow-up work needs to be done before we will really understand these links.


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## Nessie (Jan 6, 2012)

tanstaafl28 said:


> *Scientists have found a number of genetic triggers common to five different major psychiatric diseases, pushing them in new directions for potentially one day treating or preventing the diseases all together. But there's still a long way to go before that day comes.
> *A study published in The Lancet on Thursday reveals that a common genetic thread links five well-known psychiatric diseases: autism, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder and schizophrenia.
> 
> The study was conducted by an international research collaboration, looking at the genomes of more than 60,000 patients of European ancestry. Scientists hope the findings will clear up how these diseases are classified, moving from describing symptoms to identifying underlying causes. And once other scientists dig into the data, there may be some progress made on treating these five diseases.
> ...


Sadly,they are unconcrete speaking which group of genes they mean. Too unconcrete to agree or polemize.

Could be genes influencing methylation cycle, IL gene group......from what they put it is difficult to say.

In fact I was completely shocked to find here online, that person, who is claiming himself doctor and having mania was blaming ADD to lack of iron and saying its not genetic. IL genes overlap is known long term, might in new study they are meaning something else.

I could try to search additional info to see, if new group of identified genes arrived to complete the "gene library" connecting conditions.


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## tanstaafl28 (Sep 10, 2012)

Nessie said:


> Sadly,they are unconcrete speaking which group of genes they mean. Too unconcrete to agree or polemize.
> 
> Could be genes influencing methylation cycle, IL gene group......from what they put it is difficult to say.
> 
> ...


Perhaps this is merely an announcement of preliminary findings, or it has been "watered down" for non-scientific readers. As I have suffered from ADHD all my life, I tend to find any developments encouraging.


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## Nessie (Jan 6, 2012)

tanstaafl28 said:


> Perhaps this is merely an announcement of preliminary findings, or it has been "watered down" for non-scientific readers. As I have suffered from ADHD all my life, I tend to find any developments encouraging.


 @tanstaafl28, we have ADHD in family also: my cousin. I will suspect some older family members, but in generation of my parents ppl usualy werent diagnosed.
For example mother of my cousin never in entire life have got fever, whatever was happening (DHEA??, this could happens with ADDers, its not well researcher, but does happen, that after treatment with stimulants level of DHEA with ADDers change).

If you want to see some positive change, it is worsty to check MTHFR, immunology and GI track issues. My cousin have got set of alergies and inclination to autoimunities. Autoimunities and GI tract have got a lot in common with mood. GI tract and brain developed from same tissue and are connected with vagus nerve. Simply put, it is responsible for communication between brain and GI tract. GI tract is also responsible for "destilating" material for creation of neurotransmitters from food.

In ADHD (familial types are different) in same group of ppl are present for example genes: DRD2, DAT, AGT, *IL-6, IL-2, TNF-alpha*, BNDF plus* MTHFR mutations*.
This ILs are reffered as to neuro-/immunomodulators and influence inflammatory processes (result of iL-6: pro-inflammatory cytokines).

Now compare it with shizophrenia, which is usually described everywhere much better than ADHD:
Inflammatory changes in schizophrenia: *IL-6, IL-8, TNFa *apart of others.

As for MTHFR mutations, I already put online piece of it. *MTHFR 677TT *genotype is connected very often with Schiz., Bi-polar, Unipolar depre, other A1298C is connected with ADHD fairly often, but it is not condition (for example in ADD-PI are having according research *A1298C* 8 out of 9 girls). Have 677with T (TT or CT combo) or combination of 1298 and 677 is possible too, but combined genotype is less common. Most troubles tend to bring TT677/1298AA genotype.

Anyway, this MTHFR is very easy to control, because its is routinely checked in pre-natal care. I have it checked too (CC wild type for both, I needed to know: we already have ADD in family. And A1298C could have no-ADDer also. Fairly common, cousin is A1298C and in my country are 677TT 10% ppl, in some other areas, for example hispanic 677TT could have 21% of people).

In case is found other than CC type, doctors could check methylation status of organism, level of homocysteine and such. This issue is possible to overcome with suplementation same way, how it is done in pregnant woman. 
With checking inflammatory changes it is a bit more complicated, because it needs help of immunologist to check realy everything properly.

Also counts food intolerances, for ADDers is best to be chacked at least for intolerance for wheat, milk and eggs, but here is more.
This wheat issue is a bit complicated, because system of wheat intolerance in ADDers is with major probability different then in celiakia and in 2011 they were admiting quite openly in one big conference, that it is not fully documented. It will take time, anyway, everyone could check celiakia in between (but ADDers as majority doesnt have such bad luck, much more common is intolerance of non-celiacal type).
I dont have much more time, could continue next opportunity.


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## tanstaafl28 (Sep 10, 2012)

You have a great deal more technical knowledge on the issue than I do. What I can tell you is there were lots of different brain-based issues running through both sides of my family. I had siezures until I was 5. I was on some pretty powerful anti-siezure medications, so I think perhaps that might have some bearing. I think perhaps, early on, there was some imbalance in my brain/neural development that more-or-less worked itself out by the time I was 5.


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## Stelmaria (Sep 30, 2011)

The study is published here:

Identification of risk loci with shared effects on five major psychiatric disorders: a genome-wide analysis : The Lancet

I was able to read it after logging in to the Lancet.


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## Nessie (Jan 6, 2012)

Snow Leopard said:


> The study is published here:
> 
> Identification of risk loci with shared effects on five major psychiatric disorders: a genome-wide analysis : The Lancet
> 
> I was able to read it after logging in to the Lancet.


Snow Leopard, I cant enter this link to see fulltext, but I think I already have it from other source, where it is freely accesible in pdf. formate.
press.thelancet.com/psychiatricdisorders.pdf published February 28,2013 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016

http://press.thelancet.com/psychiatricdisorders.pdf

In this text in page 3 gene related to BPD/Shizo. are CACNA1C A/G and to *five disorders CACNB2 T/C* (including ADHD).
In page 6 is Figure 3, graph expressing *pair-wise cross-disorder polygene analysis*. 

Not that much overlap here between shizophrenia and ADHD for example. In fact ADHD doesnt have such strong overlap with other 4 conditions like BPD and Schizophrenia.
But in text is also expressed link between genes influencing calcium and epilepsy (not included in polygene graph).







* ​​​​​*​


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## Nessie (Jan 6, 2012)

tanstaafl28 said:


> You have a great deal more technical knowledge on the issue than I do. What I can tell you is there were lots of different brain-based issues running through both sides of my family. I had siezures until I was 5. I was on some pretty powerful anti-siezure medications, so I think perhaps that might have some bearing. I think perhaps, early on, there was some imbalance in my brain/neural development that more-or-less worked itself out by the time I was 5.


Transtaafl28,

look previous post and this link to see to more details relation between genes CACN , regarding epilepsy.

BioGraph • Relations between 'Myoclonic Epilepsy, Juvenile' and 'REM1 gene'

Yup, this also include *CACNB2* gene. It seems you might already found piece of gen. puzzle without being aware of it:happy:


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## astriom (Mar 22, 2013)

Strictly speaking, none of these are diseases... These are disorders, meaning that some function of the brain isn't working as well as it should.

Also the article's summary of the research is horrible and comes to a different conclusion than the researchers who actually conducted the study. The actual research article states that there are certain genes that are closely associated with these five psychological disorders, *not* that they are the cause. There is a critical distinction being made here that the press overlooked, misinterpreted or deliberately omitted.

Just as a gee whiz, I have also read other articles that have discovered a positive correlation with these five disorders and the presence of higher levels of heavy metals in the patient's blood (lead, mercury, etc..) and their body's inability to remove them efficiently than in patients without those disorders.

Don't trust everything you read. Be critical and question its validity and trustworthiness. A scientific breakthrough is usually very poorly represented by a media journalist.


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## Nessie (Jan 6, 2012)

astriom said:


> Also the article's summary of the research is horrible and comes to a different conclusion than the researchers who actually conducted the study. The actual research article states that there are certain genes that are closely associated with these five psychological disorders, *not* that they are the cause. There is a critical distinction being made here that the press overlooked, misinterpreted or deliberately omitted.
> 
> Just as a gee whiz, I have also read other articles that have discovered a positive correlation with these five disorders and the presence of higher levels of heavy metals in the patient's blood (lead, mercury, etc..) and their body's inability to remove them efficiently than in patients without those disorders.
> 
> Don't trust everything you read. Be critical and question its validity and trustworthiness. A scientific breakthrough is usually very poorly represented by a media journalist.


 @astriom, could you be pls. more concrete about which article and which study do you mean?

The thing is, Im lost now what you are refering to, because, frankly, speaking each of 5 disorders and related genes, here is long list of candidate genes for each. Requirement to be disordered is to have list of cooperating genes creating said disorder, which must be activated [epigenetics].Even in one disorder genetic patterns could be fairly different:not only familial, but also between members of one family here are big differences.

To top it with the crown, exactly same genes which are related to disorders is having good deal of general population without being impaired mentally. Combinations could be for example ADD, diabetes, coronary issues, allergy ......and each family member could have something else, without knowing that it is genetically linked.

And this with mercury etc., well, you could look also loooong list of other issues, starting with genes and finishing whatever else, like putting copper in group with mercury etc. Thing is, that one version doesnt rule out other. 

In my opinion with organic mental issues is trouble, that in many countrys preference was treat them just in psychiatry dpt. or even with talk therapy, which could do psychologist also. Include speaking soul into genetic research dedicated to molecular psychiatry and sure, that soon will circulate round shit ton of nonsense.

In fact Im in accord with you, that one cant believe everything he/she reads.


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## astriom (Mar 22, 2013)

I'm sorry, I didn't think I was being so vague when I responded previously. 
Here is the link to the study being referenced by the press release you cited in your op and what I was referencing in my response: Identification of risk loci with shared effects on five major psychiatric disorders: a genome-wide analysis : The Lancet

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that activation of these specific genes referenced here are not the cause, just that there is not enough evidence to support the conclusion drawn by the journalist who wrote the press release. The burning question in my mind, with regard to this topic, is: if there are genes that must be activated to trigger these disorders, what is it that activates them in the first place and can we deactivate them once they've been activated?

Also, I must disagree with your statement:


> Requirement to be disordered is to have list of cooperating genes creating said disorder, which must be activated [epigenetics].


 Disorders can also be the result of developmental issues that have arisen from things like physical abuse, hormone imbalances, malnutrition and some diseases or illnesses. If brain development is significantly hindered, especially during the early years of childhood development, many different psychological disorders can result. This is some basic information that can be found in any _Human Growth and Development_ or _Child Growth and Development_ textbook under the topic "critical period". Not that your statement isn't true, just the way you stated it implies that it's the only truth.


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## Nessie (Jan 6, 2012)

astriom said:


> I'm sorry, I didn't think I was being so vague when I responded previously.
> Here is the link to the study being referenced by the press release you cited in your op and what I was referencing in my response: Identification of risk loci with shared effects on five major psychiatric disorders: a genome-wide analysis : The Lancet
> 
> Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that activation of these specific genes referenced here are not the cause, just that there is not enough evidence to support the conclusion drawn by the journalist who wrote the press release. The burning question in my mind, with regard to this topic, is: if there are genes that must be activated to trigger these disorders, what is it that activates them in the first place and can we deactivate them once they've been activated?


Now I understand. You were refering to original link from first OP post, where journalists were speaking about diseases, not disorders. But later on were brought links to complete issue, thats why I didnt understand.
Yup, there are genes {group of], that must be activated. For example in shizophrenia one issue, which could contribute is wheat intolerance. Cooperating genes are [between others] ones causing wheat intolerance with genes influencing how permeable is GI tract. this could be overcomed. Methylation...this also. I could link later photo of shizo. brain on wheat and after diet, but I dont have it on hand now.



astriom said:


> Also, I must disagree with your statement: Disorders can also be the result of developmental issues that have arisen from things like physical abuse, hormone imbalances, malnutrition and some diseases or illnesses. If brain development is significantly hindered, especially during the early years of childhood development, many different psychological disorders can result. This is some basic information that can be found in any _Human Growth and Development_ or _Child Growth and Development_ textbook under the topic "critical period". Not that your statement isn't true, just the way you stated it implies that it's the only truth.


Well, here we could later on have nice chat, really. Leaving out depression [more complicated issue], with organic disorders like shizophrenia, bipolar, autism, ADHD is it really simple: you are having genetic base for neurodiversity at the best [ full blown neurodevelopmental disorder in worse case], or not....
If not, here arent genes to be activated. Sure things like stress or malnutrition strongly contribute [neuroplasticity of brain].

Truth told, with ADHD it is more complicated, because it is classified like pure disorder. But according genetic research, it looks more like evolution pattern. And brings to carrier advantages also.


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## astriom (Mar 22, 2013)

Nessie said:


> Truth told, with ADHD it is more complicated, because it is classified like pure disorder. But according genetic research, it looks more like evolution pattern. And brings to carrier advantages also.


I would be very interested in seeing some of this research (not saying that I don't believe you, just interested.) I've read other news articles making claims that most cases of ADD and ADHD are a result of the diet of the mother before birth and of the child during the first few years. Not that I'm assuming they are credible sources, just that they made the claim and I didn't follow up on them at the time.


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