Mood disorder service genetic database: Morbidity risks for mood disorders in 3,942 first‐degree relatives of 671 index cases with single depression, recurrent depression, bipolar I, or bipolar II

Abstract

There is increasing evidence that genetic factors play a role in the etiology of mood disorders. As a result, relatives of affected individuals are more often asking about their own risks to develop a mood disorder. From 1988 to 1990, all consecutive, unrelated inpatients and outpatients (index cases) presenting to the Mood Disorders Service, Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, had detailed family histories taken, thus creating the Mood Disorders Service Genetic Database. Diagnoses for index cases and their first-degree relatives were made according to Research Diagnostic Criteria and Family History Research Diagnostic Criteria respectively. Morbidity risks for mood disorders were calculated for first-degree relatives (parents, siblings, children--aged 10 and above) of all index cases with a diagnosis of single depression, recurrent depression, bipolar I, or bipolar II disorder. Morbidity risks were calculated using the maximum likelihood approach. Morbidity risk data are presented according to the sex and diagnosis for the index case in an easy reference format for risk counselling. The risks are presented twice, including and excluding data for "high-risk" families whose genetic pedigree is suggestive of "autosomal dominant" inheritance.

Dissociable Brain Structural Changes Associated with Predisposition, Resilience, and Disease Expression in Bipolar Disorder

“…Although BD is highly heritable (Cardno et al, 1999), the spectrum of behavioral and psychiatric abnormalities associated with predisposition to BD is very wide (Sadovnick et al, 1994). The biological mechanisms that translate genetic predisposition to BD-I into specific clinical outcomes are still unclear.…”

Evidence that a single nucleotide polymorphism in the promoter of the G protein receptor kinase 3 gene is associated with bipolar disorder

“…1 Firstdegree relatives of probands have a 7% risk for BPD, and a two-fold increase in risk for unipolar disorder. [2][3][4] While the mode of inheritance remains unclear, segregation analyses of family data have generally suggested a complex mode of inheritance, although several recent large samples have reported evidence for autosomal dominant major gene effects. 3,5 More than 10 genome-wide linkage scans have been published, and many additional scans which are in progress have reported some findings for selected chromosomal regions.…”

Major depression, minor depression, and double depression: Are they distinct clinical entities?

“…The methodology to establish the MDS Genetic Database has been described in detail (total study group, reliability data, diagnostic criteria and categories, demographic data, and comparisons with other genetic studies in the literature) in Sadovnick et al [1994], and is thus here only reviewed briefly,…”

“…In the present study, the age-of-onset distribution for mood disorders was based on data from the MDS Genetic Database [Sadovnick et al, 19941. Age-of-onset of minorlintermittent depression or double depression for each index case was determined from the psychiatric consultation data. "Age-of-onset'' was defined as the age at which the individual first had impairment associated with mood disorder symptoms [Egeland et al, 19871 or first sought medical treatment, if the former criterion was unclear (see Sadovnick et al [1994] for more details).…”