Risk loci with shared effects on major psychiatric disorders

Dissecting disease entities out of the broad spectrum of bipolar-disorders

The etiopathology of bipolar disorders is yet unraveled and new avenues should be pursued. One such avenue may be based on the assumption that the bipolar broad spectrum includes, among others, an array of rare medical disease entities. Towards this aim we propose a dissecting approach based on a search for rare medical diseases with known etiopathology which also exhibit bipolar disorders symptomatology. We further suggest that the etiopathologic mechanisms underlying such rare medical diseases may also underlie a rare variant of bipolar disorder. Such an assumption may be further reinforced if both the rare medical disease and its bipolar clinical phenotype demonstrate a] a similar mode of inheritance (i.e, autosomal dominant); b] brain involvement; and c] data implicating that the etiopathological mechanisms underlying the rare diseases affect biological processes reported to be associated with bipolar disorders and their treatment. We exemplify our suggested approach by a rare case of autosomal dominant leucodystrophy, a disease entity exhibiting nuclear lamin B1 pathology also presenting bipolar symptomatology.

[Genetic aspects of schizophrenia]

Schizophrenia is a disease with a complex non-Mendelian inheritance mechanism in most cases involving the combined action of a large number of genes. Identifying of genomic variations associated with schizophrenia endophenotypes has a great potential. This review describes genetic markers of the disease, current methods of their analysis, including genome-wide association study (GWAS). Certain genes with mutations that increase the risk of schizophrenia are described. Functional polymorphisms with phenotypic expression, which are significantly associated with clinical manifestation of schizophrenia, can serve as useful genetic markers. The authors highlight that currently there are no certain susceptibility genes. Further global research and search for markers in different population groups are needed.

A blueprint for research on Shankopathies: a view from research on autism spectrum disorder

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are associated with mutations in a host of genes including a number that function in synaptic transmission. Phelan McDermid syndrome involves mutations in SHANK3 which encodes a protein that forms a scaffold for glutamate receptors at the synapse. SHANK3 is one of the genes that underpins the synaptic hypothesis for ASD. We discuss this hypothesis with a view to the broader context of ASD and with special emphasis on highly penetrant genetic disorders including Shankopathies. We propose a blueprint for near and longer-term goals for fundamental and translational research on Shankopathies.