Five major psychiatric diseases have overlapping patterns of genetic activity, new study shows

washingtonpost. ^ | by Amy Ellis Nutt February 8 at 2:00 PM Email the author

[BenLurkin]

Many studies have identified variations in the genetic code that seem to be more common in people with psychiatric disorders. This approach goes a step further to show how genes are more or less active in the brains of people with various conditions. The study confirmed that genetic variations contributed to the patterns of activity in the brains, but as the authors wrote, “there is undoubtedly a contribution from environmental effects.”

Psychiatric disorders have some overlapping symptoms, making them difficult to diagnose. The molecular signatures in the new study suggested that schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and autism have dysfunctional synapses, the points of contact between neurons where they exchange information. Brain support cells called microglia and astroglia had unusual patterns of activity in some of the disorders as well.

Geschwind credits not only technological advances for the breakthrough, but an extraordinary level of international collaboration made possible by the National Institutes of Health's PsyEncode consortium, which encourages the sharing of information. The drop in cost of sequencing genetic code has also helped

[IncPen]

there is undoubtedly a contribution from environmental effects

I'll take Global Warming® for $300, Alex.

[doorgunner69]

You left out SSAD.

[Fraxinus]

I forget where I saw the reference to the paper, but I remember a claim with supporting evidence that Autism and a lot of other mental problems are linked to fever at a critical time during pregnancy. There is anecdotal evidence that those born in 1919 had a higher rate of schizophrenia, possibly because their mothers caught the flu.

[luckystarmom]

My mom and my son are bipolar. I know my mom has never done pot. Both got triggered after major events: my dad almost dying triggered my mom and my son saw his roommate try to kill himself by jumping off their apartment building.

I know lots of people with autistic kids who never did pot.

[DannyTN]

I’m not saying pot is always the cause.

[100American]

Vaccines

[Steely Tom]

Beyond that, psychological problems are mostly variants of neurotic behavior which is just "thinking incorrectly" and you can train people out of that.

"Any man caught thinking incorrectly spends a night in the box."

[Chickensoup]

That is a personality disorder not a brain dysfunction

[Chickensoup]

some personality disorders have up to 50% heritability.

[SunkenCiv]

Prehistoric autism helped produce much of the world’s earliest great art, study says
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/prehistoric-autism-cave-paintings-barry-wright-penny-spikins-university-of-york-a8351751.html

[SunkenCiv]

"...by Amy Ellis Nutt"

Note: this topic is from 02/08/2018. Thanks BenLurkin.

[Alas Babylon!]

Found BF Skinner!

[dsc]

“Any man caught thinking incorrectly spends a night in the box.”

I think he was referring to, inter alia, Albert Ellis and the practitioners of Rational Emotive Therapy.