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Major Affective Disorders (major + affective_disorders)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	50%
Life Sciences	50%

Selected Abstracts

Major affective disorders and schizophrenia: a common molecular signature?,

HUMAN MUTATION, Issue 9 2006
Ann Van Den Bogaert
Abstract Psychiatric disorders, including affective disorders (AD) and schizophrenia (SZ) are among the most common disabling brain diseases in Western populations and result in high costs in terms of morbidity as well as mortality. Although their etiology and pathophysiology is largely unknown, family-, twin-, and adoption studies argue for a strong genetic determination of these disorders. These studies indicate that there is between 40 and 85% heritability for these disorders but point also to the importance of environmental factors. Therefore, any research strategy aiming at the identification of genes involved in the development of AD and SZ should account for the complex nature (multifactorial) of these disorders. During the last decade, molecular genetic studies have contributed a great deal to the identification of genetic factors involved in complex disorders. Here we provide a comprehensive review of the most promising genes for AD and SZ, and the methods and approaches that were used for their identification. Also, we discuss the current knowledge and hypotheses that have been formulated regarding the effect of variations on protein functioning as well as recent observations that point to common molecular mechanisms. Hum Mutat 27(9), 833,853, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Lower suicide risk with long-term lithium treatment in major affective illness: a meta-analysis

ACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 3 2001
Leonardo Tondo
Objective:,To compare suicide rates with vs. without long-term lithium treatment in major affective disorders. Method:,Broad searching yielded 22 studies providing suicide rates during lithium maintenance; 13 also provide rates without such treatment. Study quality was scored, between-study variance tested, and suicide rates on vs. off lithium examined by meta-analyses using random-effects regression methods to model risk ratios. Results:,Among 5647 patients (33,473 patient-years of risk) in 22 studies, suicide was 82% less frequent during lithium-treatment (0.159 vs. 0.875 deaths/100 patient-years). The computed risk-ratio in studies with rates on/off lithium was 8.85 (95% CI, 4.12,19.1; P<0.0001). Higher rates off-lithium were not accounted for by treatment-discontinuation. Conclusion:,Suicide risk was consistently lower during long-term treatment of major affective illnesses with lithium in all studies in the meta-analysis, including the few involving treatment-randomization. [source]

Serotonin transporter gene polymorphism and psychiatric disorders in NF1 patients

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS, Issue 8 2001
Frank Bellivier
Abstract Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is an autosomal-dominant genetic disease characterized by a broad clinical expression. Comorbid affective disorders, anxiety disorders, and suicide are frequently observed during NF1. The promoter marker (5-HTTLPR) of the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTT) has been shown to be associated with major affective disorders, anxiety-related trait, and more recently with suicidal behavior. This gene is adjacent to the NF1 gene, raising the question of the implication of the 5-HTT gene in the psychiatric comorbidity during NF1. Eighty-eight patients with NF1 and 184 screened controls were typed for the 5-HTTLPR. No deviation from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in patients was observed. In addition, allele and genotype frequencies were similar in the two groups. Our data do not support the implication of the 5-HTT gene in the psychiatric comorbidities of NF1. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Laterality of pain in migraine with comorbid unipolar depressive and bipolar II disorders

BIPOLAR DISORDERS, Issue 5 2002
Ole Bernt Fasmer
Objectives:, The purpose of the present study has been to examine differences in the laterality of pain in patients with migraine and comorbid unipolar depressive (UP) and bipolar II (BP II) disorders. Methods:, Semi-structured interviews of 102 patients with major affective disorders were conducted, using DSM-IV criteria for affective disorders combined with Akiskal's criteria for affective temperaments and International Headache Society criteria for migraine. The group of patients reported on in the present study encompass 47 subjects with UP (n=24) or BP II (n=23) disorders. Fifteen of the bipolar II patients fulfilled DSM-IV criteria while eight were diagnosed according to the broader criteria of Akiskal. Results:, Sixteen of the 38 patients with migraine headaches had bilateral pain or pain equally often on the left or right side while 22 had pain predominantly located on one side. Among the UP patients the pain was most often on the right side (8/10) while among the BP II patients the pain was most often on the left (9/12, p = 0.01). Apart from the presence of hypomanic symptoms in the BP II group there were no clinical or demographic characteristics that distinguished these two sub-groups of affective disorders. Conclusions:, These results indicate that there may be a differential affection of the cerebral hemispheres in patients with migraine and comorbid unipolar depressive disorder versus patients with migraine and comorbid bipolar II disorder. [source]