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“Game-Changing Study Finds Dozens of Genes Tied to Depression” by Christopher Wanjek
From the article, “The hope is that the discovery will pave the way for new, diverse therapies for depression, an often-crippling disease that affects nearly 15 percent of adults worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. Only about half of patients respond well to existing treatments, which include both drug therapy and psychotherapy.“
"'This study, for the first time, shows that there are specific genetic variants that influence a range of childhood and adult-onset psychiatric disorders that we think of as clinically different,' said lead researcher Dr. Jordan Smoller, a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School in Boston.'We also found that there was significant overlap in the genetic components of several disorders, especially schizophrenia with bipolar disorder and depression, and to a lesser extent autism with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder,' he said."Source: US New and World Report, February 28, 2013, "Shared Genes May Link ADHD, Autism and Depression. Largest study of its kind also found ties to schizophrenia, bipolar disorders"http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2013/02/28/shared-genes-may-link-adhd-autism-and-depression
New ADHD Gene Study Points to Defects in Brain Signaling Pathways"Pediatric researchers analyzing genetic influences in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have found alterations in specific genes involved in important brain signaling pathways. The study raises the possibility that drugs acting on those pathways might offer a new treatment option for patients with ADHD who have those gene variants—potentially, half a million U.S. children."
60 Minutes and WebMD report: "ADHD: In The Genes?"A discussion of the influence of genes on the development of ADHD. A 3 minute video clip follows after a brief advertisement.http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=2863310n
ScienceDaily, published May 6, 2011This article describes how as many half of people with ADHD may also have poor emotional control and that both run in families. According to Craig Surman, MD, of the MGH Pediatric Psychopharmacology and Adult ADHD Program, the study's lead author, "Our findings also indicate that ADHD doesn't just impact things like reading, listening and getting the bills paid on time; it also can impact how people regulate themselves more broadly, including their emotional expression."http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110505103341.htm
