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When Mom And Daughter Both Have Bipolar Disorder
Source: Catalin Pop / Unsplash
When I was a teenager I blamed my parents for a lot of things: my big ears, my geeky high school reputation, and my lack of fashion sense to name a few. But my mental illness wasn't one of them.
Over five years, beginning when I was 26, I had four psychotic episodes, three landing me in the psych ward, and all alternating with depression and mania. The eventual verdict: rapid cycling, mixed state, bipolar disorder with psychotic features, mild temporal lobe epilepsy, generalized anxiety disorder and disordered eating. After the final psychosis (where police found me running gleefully naked in West Point Grey), I finally accepted I had a mental illness.
My parents were familiar with bipolar disorder. In the mid-1970s, my mother was diagnosed with what was then called manic depression.
When I landed in the hospital, things started to make sense for my parents. The puzzle of my distraught adolescence and university years fell into place and they realized what I'd been fighting. For me? I thought my hyper excitement (a euphemism at best) and spirals into despair were none other than dramatic charm and talent. I was an actress at the time.
"I felt tremendously guilty," explains my mother, when asked how she felt when I was first diagnosed. "Mental illness is partly genetic." Mental illness runs on both sides of my family. But I never thought to blame my parents.
"I felt so helpless. Nothing I did seemed to help," my mother says, "and you were an adult. We couldn't force you to do anything."
My family, like most others, was far from perfect. But my parents offered me something I know was essential to my mental health and sadly missing for many others who struggle with psychiatric disorders: compassion, empathy, and support.
I know people whose families deny there's a problem or worse, reject them once they're diagnosed with a mental disorder. The motto: Not in this family. Abandonment can be lethal. Literally. I also know families who, like mine, unconditionally accept and support their loved ones.
Growing up before my mother's diagnosis was no easy road. But I was fortunate, my parents worked together, finding the right treatment for her by the time I was 9. I admire them for accepting her illness so readily. Denial of my mom's disorder would have been damaging to all of us.
My mom's illness ironically played a healing role in my life. She knew intimately what I meant when I said not only did I not want to get up in the morning, but could not get up. My mother listened, nodded, and would say two of the most curative words: "I understand." And she did.
"Having bipolar disorder myself," my mom explains, "helped me accept and understand your experience." But psychosis, neither my mother nor father had ever seen that. Until me. "It was so scary. We thought we'd lost you forever. You were rambling, making no sense at all."
My mother sighs, "But when I think about what I must have put you through with my condition, it must have been awful," she pauses, then with a laugh, "but you got us back good, didn't you?"
"Yep," I pipe back, "But thank goodness I didn't run around naked when I lived with you and Dad, huh?"
"Am I ever glad!" My father and mother's signature humour is also hereditary.
© Victoria Maxwell
Shared Genetics Found In Bipolar Disorder And Epilepsy
Summary: A new study reveals a genetic connection between bipolar disorder type I (BD-I) and epilepsy, showing shared genetic variants and a causal relationship between the two conditions. Researchers discovered six genomic loci linked to both disorders and highlighted the role of the SP4 gene, which may be key in treating both illnesses.
This genetic overlap suggests that mood stabilizers like lithium, effective for both conditions, could target shared pathways. The findings pave the way for personalized treatments for patients with BD-I and epilepsy, with implications for other brain disorders.
Key Facts:
Source: Genomic Press
A team of researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences has uncovered compelling evidence of a genetic link between bipolar disorder type I (BD-I) and epilepsy, potentially revolutionizing our understanding of these complex neuropsychiatric conditions.
The study, published in Genomic Psychiatry on September 30, 2024, reveals shared genetic variants and a causal relationship between the two disorders, opening new avenues for research and treatment.
Led by Dr. Ming Li from the Kunming Institute of Zoology, the study utilized genome-wide association study (GWAS) data from European populations, encompassing over 26,000 epilepsy cases and 25,000 BD-I cases, along with their respective controls.
One of the most intriguing discoveries is the role of the SP4 gene, which showed strong associations with both BD-I and epilepsy. Credit: Neuroscience NewsThe researchers employed advanced statistical methods to uncover the genetic underpinnings shared by these seemingly distinct neurological conditions.
Key findings of the study include:
1. A significant positive genetic correlation (rg = 0.154) between BD-I and epilepsy
2. Identification of approximately 1,300 genetic variants influencing both conditions
3. Discovery of six independent genomic loci significantly linked to BD-I and epilepsy
4. A notable causal effect of epilepsy on BD-I (P = 0.0079)
Dr. Li explains, "Our findings provide a novel rethinking of the connection between epilepsy and bipolar disorder, which aligns with the clinical observation that mood stabilizers are effective in treating both illnesses."
One of the most intriguing discoveries is the role of the SP4 gene, which showed strong associations with both BD-I and epilepsy. The SP4 protein, modulated by neuronal activity, has been linked to mood disorder management through its stabilization by lithium, a common mood stabilizer. This connection raises an important question: Could the SP4 gene be a key target for developing more effective treatments for both bipolar disorder and epilepsy?
The study's implications extend beyond these two conditions. By demonstrating shared genetic underpinnings, it suggests that other neuropsychiatric disorders might have more in common than previously thought.
This leads to an intriguing question: How might this genetic overlap inform our understanding of other brain disorders, such as schizophrenia or autism spectrum disorders?
Furthermore, the research highlights the potential for personalized medicine approaches. As Dr. Li notes, "Understanding the genetic basis of these disorders could lead to more targeted treatments based on an individual's genetic profile."
This raises another critical question: How can we translate these genetic insights into practical, personalized treatment strategies for patients with BD-I or epilepsy?
The study also sheds light on the complex relationship between mood regulation and seizure activity in the brain. Given the shared genetic factors, researchers are now pondering: What specific neurobiological mechanisms link mood instability in bipolar disorder with the electrical disturbances seen in epilepsy?
While the findings are groundbreaking, the researchers acknowledge limitations, including the focus on European populations and the reliance on public GWAS data without sex-specific information.
This opens up avenues for future research: How do these genetic associations manifest across different ethnic groups, and are there sex-specific genetic factors at play in the development of BD-I and epilepsy?
As the scientific community digests these findings, the potential for collaborative research across neurology and psychiatry becomes evident. Could this study catalyze a new era of interdisciplinary research aimed at understanding and treating complex brain disorders?
Author: Ma-Li WongSource: Genomic PressContact: Ma-Li Wong – Genomic PressImage: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Open access."Rethinking the connection between bipolar disorder and epilepsy from genetic perspectives" by Ming Li et al. Genomic Psychiatry
Genetic Link Between Bipolar Disorder And Epilepsy Unveiled
A team of researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences has uncovered compelling evidence of a genetic link between bipolar disorder type I (BD-I) and epilepsy, potentially transforming our understanding of these complex neuropsychiatric conditions.
The study, "Rethinking the connection between bipolar disorder and epilepsy from genetic perspectives," published in Genomic Psychiatry on September 30, 2024, reveals shared genetic variants and a causal relationship between the two disorders, opening new avenues for research and treatment.
Led by Dr. Ming Li from the Kunming Institute of Zoology, the study utilized genome-wide association study (GWAS) data from European populations, encompassing over 26,000 epilepsy cases and 25,000 BD-I cases, along with their respective controls. The researchers employed advanced statistical methods to uncover the genetic underpinnings shared by these seemingly distinct neurological conditions.
Key findings of the study include:
Dr. Li explains, "Our findings provide a novel rethinking of the connection between epilepsy and bipolar disorder, which aligns with the clinical observation that mood stabilizers are effective in treating both illnesses."
One of the most intriguing discoveries is the role of the SP4 gene, which showed strong associations with both BD-I and epilepsy. The SP4 protein, modulated by neuronal activity, has been linked to mood disorder management through its stabilization by lithium, a common mood stabilizer. This connection raises an important question: Could the SP4 gene be a key target for developing more effective treatments for both bipolar disorder and epilepsy?
The study's implications extend beyond these two conditions. By demonstrating shared genetic underpinnings, it suggests that other neuropsychiatric disorders might have more in common than previously thought. This leads to an intriguing question: How might this genetic overlap inform our understanding of other brain disorders, such as schizophrenia or autism spectrum disorders?
Furthermore, the research highlights the potential for personalized medicine approaches. As Dr. Li notes, "Understanding the genetic basis of these disorders could lead to more targeted treatments based on an individual's genetic profile." This raises another critical question: how can we translate these genetic insights into practical, personalized treatment strategies for patients with BD-I or epilepsy?
The study also sheds light on the complex relationship between mood regulation and seizure activity in the brain. Given the shared genetic factors, researchers are now pondering: What specific neurobiological mechanisms link mood instability in bipolar disorder with the electrical disturbances seen in epilepsy?
While the findings are groundbreaking, the researchers acknowledge limitations, including the focus on European populations and the reliance on public GWAS data without sex-specific information. This opens up avenues for future research: How do these genetic associations manifest across different ethnic groups, and are there sex-specific genetic factors at play in the development of BD-I and epilepsy?
More information: Jin-Hua Huo et al, Rethinking the connection between bipolar disorder and epilepsy from genetic perspectives. Genomic Psychiatry (2024). DOI: 10.61373/gp024l.0061. Gp.Genomicpress.Com/wp-content … 9/GP0061-Li-2024.Pdf
Provided by Genomic Press
Citation: Genetic link between bipolar disorder and epilepsy unveiled (2024, September 30) retrieved 30 September 2024 from https://medicalxpress.Com/news/2024-09-genetic-link-bipolar-disorder-epilepsy.Html
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