title: Increased levels of a mitochondrial DNA deletion in the brain of patients with bipolar disorder.
abstract: Mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) have been implicated in the pathophysiology of affective disorders. To examine possible pathophysiological significance of mtDNA deletions in bipolar disorder, the concentration of the 4977-base-pair deletion in mtDNA in the autopsied brains of 7 patients with bipolar disorder, 9 suicide victims, and 9 controls was examined using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction method. The ratio of deleted to wild-type mtDNA in cerebral cortex was significantly higher in patients with bipolar disorder [0.23 +/- 0.18 (mean +/- SD)%] compared with that in age-matched controls (0.06 +/- 0.07%, p < 0.05). This result supports a hypothesis that mtDNA deletions may play a role in the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: O C
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Stine
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: McMahon
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Crowe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D046508:Culture Techniques; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D017353:Gene Deletion; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017354:Point Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology; D013698:Templates, Genetic
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial