Genetically Bipolar

My sister has this disorder, and my grandmother on my mom's side and my dad did as well. I'm worried about my kids, and myself and my little brother. What are the chances of the rest of us suffering from this disorder, and how far down the line will it go?

I was in CA. this summer for a conference and the latest research is they have found 13 possible sites on your DNA that could be the curser for Bipolar Disorder. More research in needed..the stats are if you have the disorder your children have about a 35% chance of having it. If both parents, if a grandparent has it, it goes up...you get the idea here..also look for chronic depression and ADHD, chronic anxiety, OCD. etc...with the proper research by the time my children have children(about 10 years) we should be able to take blood from someone map the DNA and find out what drug will work. That is what the research is all about...hundreds of people with BD have gone in had there blood taken( some with large families) and then explained what drugs worked for them., so if your DNA site is say 11 and lithium works for you, it is probable that it will work for your neighbor if his site is also 11.

Lots more research is needed, and you can check out places and states where you can donate a sample also just google "bipolar research" and you will see the list.

Also know it takes meds, just like a diabetic need insilin so does the Bipolar..counseling too. The sucess with both is about 80% stability and recovery. You cannot grow out of this, or pull yourself up by your boot straps..this is a chemical imbalance, that you cannot control with out meds.

Warm Regards,

Debra Meehl

www.meehlfoundation.org

For BP folks in recovery, sidetrips into genetic theory can become confusing and unnecessary jaunts. Such sidetrips may lead to relapse, and I can't really explain how that works.

For recent research on DNA switching see http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/101/17/6439

Comment on the above web page: Some DNA switching has been associated with bipolar disease, but, so far, no one knows whether switching takes place before the symptoms present themselves (causal relationship) or after the symptoms present themselves (response relationship). The same genomes associated with one neuropathology (eg. bipolar) may interact with other genomes to induce other pathologies (eg. ataxia).

"Bipolar disorder, a mood disorder marked by alternating periods of manic and depressive episodes, affects approximately 1% of the global population. While neurotransmitter instability and genetic factors are implicated, the cause of bipolar disorder remains unknown."

( http://www.riken.jp/engn/r-world/info/release/press/2006/ 060418/index.html )

In short, I have found it beneficial to consider first things first, such as identification of symptoms, modification of mood swings, and practicing coping and management tools.

The genetic considerations are for me a "tempest in a teapot" compared to the more immediate consideration for managing the symptoms and, as the health forum suggests, practicing good health habits.

"Will I get it?" In my life, almost all the things I worried about didn't happen. Maybe that's true for you too. So, I figure that the best way to avoid "getting it" is to worry about it a lot! I've actually got it. ...I guess I worried about the wrong things.

In a recent TV (trust TV, right!?) documentary, I witnessed an example of autonomous gene modification which had occurred in a human fetus during gestation. Any such autonomous change in genes would be a good argument against genetic profiling, wouldn't it?

Sometimes the best help I can get is a good and impartial listener.

Thanks again!

Jim

I'm nokomis and i'm new to the community. My grandmother was bipolar, my older sister is and so am I.

There is a long family history of mental illness in my family. I am almost sure that my adult daughter is also bipolar. Genetics must play a prominent role in this illness.

Heya Callme2crazy!

If we could find a way to manage our disease and its symptoms without medication, we probably wouldn't care about genetics, and we probably would GET ON WITH recovery!

The quote to which you referred came from meehifou.

I agree with nokomis and callme2crazy.

I always appreciate, when people cite stats and clinical information, having access to the source. I cannot find any reference which directly supports meehifou.

I have expressed this issue before. It is both helpful and just plain good manners to at least post a link to a source or a supporting reference.

It is easy to include an internet link on your post. Merely right click on the source address in the address bar, copy the url, then paste the info into a separate line in your post.

The following links, therefore, give some information, some of which supports gene mapping in association with the selection of appropriate meds.

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi? artid=58756

http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/p030537.html

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_36/ b3949001_mz001.htm

http://www.namicalifornia.org/document-detail.aspx? page=newsviews&tabb=currentnews&lang=ENG&idno=1320

The euphemism used by the industry for this practice is "personal medicine." The practice, if approved, brings science no closer to a cure, but it's proponents promise that it will give medical science more determination in controlling the symptoms of BP. Note that in many studies, the researchers admit the wide variability of external (environmental/social) factors in conjunction with the expression of certain genomes--factors which are also considered to trigger or to exacerbate the genetic tendency, if any, to experience BP. ( I hope I said that right. The sentence structure looks weird to me....)

See also a clinical discussion of neuronal plasticity:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuroplasticity

http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/links/doi/10.1046/j.1440- 1614.1998.00381.x

http://www.acnp.org/g4/GN401000110/CH108.html

http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/cgi/content/full/285/1/307

The model of neuronal plasticity suggests that the operation of our brain's neural network responds naturally to compensate for factors in both internal environment AND external environment. That concept implies that a change in either environment may shift aberrant networks to a more normal mode of functioning. Furthermore, the internal environment of our brains is partially a product of the external environment. Therefore, it would make sense to begin treatment by modifying the [much simpler] external environment in order to optimize the internal environment. I admit that mood stabilizers often provide the "bridge" necessary to moderate symptoms and to address external factors, but symptomatic relief still leaves the dilemma concerning fundamental change in the organism.

Don't forget, as you try to absorb all the clinical info and research, that all the gene research assumes that the relationship between genomes and the occurence of their associated diseases is factual more or less.

I saw a TV program segment which talked about a fetus in utero in which the genetic identity of the fetus changed autonomously, so that the baby's genes no longer resembled the genes of either parent. I don't know if I can trust the source of this "documentary", given the sensationalist nature of TV; but the mere suggestion of such an autonomous change in gene identity substantially weakens the genetics gospel, doesn't it?

Let's keep this discussion going. I love debates about a problem which has no solution and about which I know nothing! It reminds me of the saloon debates from my drinking days!

LOL! Peace--out.

James Rist

meehlfou reported the genetics info and has a link to her website: meehlfoundation.com

I have not run down the specifics of this information-yet, but I will enlighten the group if I do find out anything.

I want the emoticon you used by your name, how'd you do that?

Dee