Neuropsychic Conditions: Their Probable Genetic Cause

Editorial

The findings of a biomedical investigation carried out by international specialists revealed that schizophrenia and bipolar disorder have a strong genetic correlation, which is why it is common for patients with one of the two conditions to develop the other over time.

The results of this research were published by a specialized journal, and demonstrated –for the first time– the genetic load associated with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, psychotic depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism.

The study included a sample of more than 75 thousand patients of both sexes; On the other hand, it surpassed the findings of previous investigations that suggested the possibility of a large genetic load shared between relatives, since the result of the corresponding analysis demonstrated that this correlation transcends the consanguineous link.

The experts also found that depression and bipolarity, schizophrenia, as well as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, share genetic load, but in a more moderate way. According to the researchers, these findings are compelling, but not conclusive. However, with the completion of new studies, a more personalized therapy for patients with these ailments can be carried out in the next decade. The results of a previous study, published in the journal The Lancet, showed that there are similar DNA traces between the aforementioned neuro-psychic disorders, which are the most common worldwide. Schizophrenia refers to a group of chronic mental problems, characterized by serious alterations in perception and the patient being out of touch with reality, while bipolar disorder describes a disorder that affects the emotional state of the human being.