Author Interviews, Genetic Research, Mayo Clinic, Mental Health Research, Nature / 12.03.2014
Bipolar Disorder: Genome-Wide Association Study
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Prof. Dr. Sven Cichon, PhD
Director, Division of Medical Genetics
University Hospital Basel
Human Genomics Research Group
Department of Biomedicine
University of Basel Basel, Switzerland
MedicalResearch.com: What were the main findings of the study?
Answer: We have identified two new gene regions that represent pieces of the jigsaw puzzle of genetic and non-genetic factors that lead to the development of bipolar disorder. One is the gene ADCY2 (Adenylate Cyclase 2) which is involved in signal transmission within nerve cells. The other region comprises two genes, both presumably playing a role in neurodevelopmental processes (MIR2113 and POU3F2). Importantly, these results come out of the largest of these kinds of studies so far, involving altogether more than 24,000 people.
(more…)