title: Heritability of cognitive functions in families with bipolar disorder.
abstract: Bipolar disorder is highly heritable. Cognitive dysfunctions often observed in bipolar patients and their unaffected relatives implicate that these impairments may be associated with genetic predisposition to bipolar disorder and thus fulfill the criteria of a valid endophenotype for the disorder. However, the most fundamental criterion, their heritability, has not been directly studied in any bipolar population. This population-based study estimated the heritability of cognitive functions in bipolar disorder. A comprehensive neuropsychological test battery and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV were administered to a population-based sample of 110 individuals from 52 families with bipolar disorder. Heritability of cognitive functions as assessed with neuropsychological test scores were estimated using the Solar package. Significant additive heritabilities were found in verbal ability, executive functioning, and psychomotor processing speed. Genetic contribution was low to verbal learning functions. High heritability, in executive functioning and psychomotor processing speed suggest that these may be valid endophenotypic traits for genetic studies of bipolar disorder.
authors: Department of Mental Health and Alcohol Research, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland. mevi.antila@ktl.fi
authors: Mervi
authors: M
authors: Antila
authors: Annamari
authors: A
authors: Tuulio-Henriksson
authors: Tuula
authors: T
authors: Kieseppä
authors: Pia
authors: P
authors: Soronen
authors: Outi M
authors: OM
authors: Palo
authors: Tiina
authors: T
authors: Paunio
authors: Jari
authors: J
authors: Haukka
authors: Timo
authors: T
authors: Partonen
authors: Jouko
authors: J
authors: Lönnqvist
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology*; D003071:Cognition; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010641:Phenotype