New research connecting Bipolar and Schizophrenia

[mnballetmom]

Looks like we're getting somewhere on this.

All three studies implicate an area of Chromosome 6 (6p22.1), which is known to harbor genes involved in immunity and controlling how and when genes turn on and off. This hotspot of association might help to explain how environmental factors affect risk for schizophrenia. For example, there are hints of autoimmune involvement in schizophrenia, such as evidence that offspring of mothers with influenza while pregnant have a higher risk of developing the illness.

[kwombles]

That's really interesting; The next couple decades should be extremely interesting for "psychological disorders."

I think psychology is going to have to shift even more to neuropsychology. It's a serious time of upheaval for the discipline, although it's never been a stagnant field. I think we'll find the field shying further away from pure theory like Freud. I still have to teach way too much of him in my intro class.

[mnballetmom]

Jul 4, 2009 14:51:18 GMT -5 kwombles said:

I think psychology is going to have to shift even more to neuropsychology.

Agreed - which is why I keep bringing up Northwestern and that program to my daughter. Like I said to you privately, if there were one area that I have stagemommy behavior it's this and not her dancing. If I was her age and knew what she knows about herself and her maternal family (even her paternal family) I don't think I'd be able to resist!

That or Sarah Lawrence, of course.

[mnballetmom]

Older research that shows the same sort of linking in neurocognitive issues.

A Canadian team reports significant progress in determining whether a child is at risk for bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. Researchers have developed a battery of neurological tests that detect early signs of mental disease including problems with memory tasks, impaired planning skills and difficulties interpreting information.

A battery of neurological tests revealed that these high-risk children performed much more poorly than a control group in memory tasks and executive functioning (planning, classifying, and interpreting information).

“These tests show quantifiable dysfunctions in the brain of children or teenagers that could be used as early warning signs for the disease,” explains lead researcher Dr. Michel Maziade.

“The ultimate goal is to use them to estimate the risk for a child as young as three or four years old and start preventative treatments.”

[kwombles]

I'm seeing ads and I wasn't before. Hmm. I'll check it in Mozilla.