title: Family History in Patients with Bipolar Disorder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In this study, we aimed to better understand the genetic transmission of bipolar disorder by examining the family history of patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-three patients with bipolar disorder and their families were included. The final sample comprised 156 bipolar patients and their family members. An inclusion criterion was the presence of bipolar disorder history in the family. The diagnosis of other family members was confirmed by analyzing their files, hospital records, and by calling them to the hospital.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-five patients were women (41.6%) and 91 were men (58.3%) (ratio of men/women: 1.40). When analyzing the results in terms of the transition of disease from the mother's or father's side, similar results were obtained: 25 patients were from the mother's side and 25 patients were from the father's side in 63 cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of our study support the fact that a significant relationship exists between the degree of kinship and the heritability of bipolar disorder and, furthermore, that the effect of the maternal and paternal sides is similar on the transmission of genetic susceptibility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Yüzüncü Yıl University School of Medicine, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Osman
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Özdemir
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Genetics, Dicle University School of Medicine, Diyarbakır, Turkey.
authors.forename: Salih
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Coşkun
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Psychiatry, Van Training and Research Hospital, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Elif
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aktan Mutlu
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Yüzüncü Yıl University School of Medicine, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Pınar Güzel
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Özdemir
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Genetics, Dicle University School of Medicine, Diyarbakır, Turkey.
authors.forename: Abdullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Atli
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Yüzüncü Yıl University School of Medicine, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ekrem
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Yüzüncü Yıl University School of Medicine, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sıddık
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Keskin
keywords: Bipolar disorder; family history; genetic transmission