The genetics of bipolar affective disorder.
OBJECTIVE
Molecular genetic studies of bipolar affective disorder are beginning to show some positive and reproducible findings. The most relevant of these will be reviewed.


RESULTS
Obtaining consistent findings from whole genome scans has been hampered by small sample sizes and phenotypic heterogeneity. Recently, there have been concerted efforts to overcome these problems by combining data for meta-analysis. What has become increasingly clear is that several regions that are likely to contain genes contributing to bipolar affective disorder are also relevant to schizophrenia, a finding supported by recent twin data. Studies to date have implicated the D-amino acid oxidase activator complex (also known as G72/G30), disrupted in schizophrenia-1 and neuregulin, and have pointed to several promising linkage regions in which the genes have not yet been identified. In addition, there is some evidence to support the involvement of genetic variants in catechol-o-methyl transferase and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the aetiology of bipolar affective disorder.


CONCLUSIONS
Molecular genetic research in bipolar affective disorder may lead to the development of new diagnostic paradigms for classifying the psychoses and affective states. In addition, determining the functional significance of the susceptibility genes will pave the way for enhanced diagnostic accuracy and improved treatments.
Farmer
Anne
A
MRC SGDP Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Camberwell, London, UK. A.Farmer@iop.kcl.ac.uk
Elkin
Amanda
A
McGuffin
Peter
P
D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases / Q000235:genetics; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics; D004200:Diseases in Twins / Q000235:genetics; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D020880:Neuregulins / Q000235:genetics; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics; D018433:Twin Studies as Topic
D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D002352:Carrier Proteins; C475071:DAOA protein, human; C488199:DAOAAS gene product, human; C412476:DISC1 protein, human; C448722:DISC2 gene product, human; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D020880:Neuregulins; D011506:Proteins; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase