Thank you for Feedback - New Directions for Both Sites
	Request for Personal Story Submissions
	Genetic Counseling Survey - please participate!
	Calling all Artists - NY Exhibit Looking for Submissions

	Nonadherance to Medications Among People with Schizophrenia
	Experts Debate Typical vs. Atypical Medications
	Antipychotics During Pregnancy
	Cognitive Rehabilitation to Improve Attention
	Compeer Buddies Help Recovery

	Tom Cruise, anti-psychiatry, and scientology
	Mentally Ill Prison Rehabilitation Programs - a harmful approach?
	A Hang-out Community for People with Brain Diseases
	Recent High-School Grads with Disabilities - what's the next step?
	Filmmaker Speaks about Brother with Schizophrenia

	New Gene-Scanning Technique
	The Genetics of Complex Diseases

	Son's Mental Disorder Led Mother to Start Support Group
	Overactive Brain Enzyme May Increase Susceptibility to Stress
	Antidepressants for Bipolar Depression - tips to stay out of trouble
	Melatonin Agonist as Adjunct Bipolar Treatment

Thank you to all who responded to our user survey! Your comments were insightful and helpful. Below are a few areas that we hope to improve/add to within the next month - these decisions were based largely on your responses. Although we will try to get these underway as quickly as possible, we are always limited by a very tiny staff who work in their spare time around other full-time jobs and committments.

Projects for Schizophrenia.com:

	Addition of an advocacy/outreach discussion board, for members who are active in the mental illness advocacy to discuss their efforts
	Reorganization of our Recovery and Resources into a more comprehensive "How to Get Care" section, which will hopefully provide information on navigating some of the more difficult parts of the healthcare system and help for reintegrating into the community
	Downloadable, printable PDF files of some of our pages - examples include a printable list of schizophrenia risk factors and avoidance actions to take, and a printable version of the FAQ guide sections

Projects for Moodswing.org:

	A much more comprehensive causes/prevention section, with avoidance actions to reduce one's risk of contracting bipolar disorder
	A bipolar disorder FAQ guide
	Resources for the dually-diagnosed

 

 

 

 

 

 

Calling all Artists - NY Exhibit Looking for Submissions

We received the following announcement in our admin email box. The sponsoring non-profit organization is called Hospital Audiences, Inc - more information about them, and about previous Outsider Art exhibits, is available on their website.

Contemporary Outsider Art in America

SURVEY 2006

Call for Entries

 

In January, 2005, HAI presented Contemporary Outsider Art in America: SURVEY 2005, a juried exhibit of art by self-taught artists with mental disabilities at The Gallery at HAI in Soho, NYC. The exhibit was an opportunity for selected artists to have their work exhibited in Soho, NYC during Outsider Art Week and around the corner from the Outsider Art Fair.
The outstanding success of SURVEY 2005 has led us to develop SURVEY 2006.

HAI is putting out a Call for Entries for SURVEY 2006.

The Gallery at HAI is also distributing a video documentary of SURVEY 2005 that presents the exhibiting artists and their work.

Please open the PDF's for the SURVEY 2006 Call for Entries or to purchase the video!

(Note: you need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open these files. Download a free copy of the program here).

Outsider Art 2006 Call for Entries

Ordering information for 2005 exhibit video

Nonadherance to Treatment among People with Schizophrenia

Attitudes toward antipsychotic medication: the impact of clinical variables and relationships with health professionals.

Relapse is often caused by nonadherence to antipsychotic medication.

A new study attempts to address this issue of nonadherence by examining patients' attitudes toward medication and their relationships with health professionals. Researchers conducted the study by measuring variables such as: "symptoms, insight, drug adverse effects, self-reported adherence, attitudes toward treatment, perceived relationship with the prescriber, ward atmosphere, and admission experience," in participants with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.

In order to gather data, researchers approached patients who had been admitted into inpatient wards "at 8 hospitals in North Wales and the Northwest of England." The researchers analyzed the data and found that participant "attitudes toward treatment were predicted by insight, relationship with staff (especially the physician-prescriber), and the patient's admission experience..." The researchers concluded that patients's relationships with clinicians seem to effect their attitudes toward treatment, and that good relationships between patient and clinician may have positive effects. However, the researchers emphasized that the data was gathered during acute admission. Thus, the results do not necessarily reflect on chronic admission. Further, despite gathering information on participant admission experience, drug adverse affects, etc. the researchers did not address the possible impacts of these variables on patients' relationships with clinicians. Nevertheless, and as already stated, the results suggest that a good relationship with the main prescriber or treatment provider can have a positive impact on the patient's view of treatment.

Resources that can help: See "Working with the Psychiatrist" in our FAQ guide for tips on what to look for in a good psychiatrist and how to communicate your needs: http://www.schizophrenia.com/family/FAQgen.htm#pdoc

More information about the costs of non-adherance to treatment in schizophrenia, and options for families if someone cannot realize that they are ill: http://www.schizophrenia.com/invol.html

To learn more about relapse in schizophrenia:
http://health.yahoo.com/ency/healthwise/aa48178
http://www.mental-health-matters.com/articles/article.php?artID=62

Source Article: "Attitudes toward antipsychotic medication: the impact of clinical variables and relationships with health professionals." Authors: Day JC, Bentall RP, Roberts C, Randall F, Rogers A, Cattell D, Healy D, Rae P, Power C. Date: July 2005. (Look up this study at http://www.pubmed.com)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Experts Debate Typical vs. Atypical Medications

Four schizophrenia experts squared off on the topic of first-generation antipsychotics (FGA, or "typical") versus second-generation antipsychotics (SGA, or "atypical") at the American Psychiatric Association annual convention in Atlanta, GA in May 2005.

The questions addressed included which class of drugs is superior in terms of efficacy and side effects, and whether comparison studies fairly represent clinically significant information.

Arguing on the side of FGAs were Rajiv Tandon, M.D., director of the schizophrenia division in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Michigan, and William Carpenter, M.D., director of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center. They were answered by John Davis, M.D., a professor of psychiatry at the University of Illinois, Chicago, and Ira Glick, M.D., a professor of psychiatry and behavioral science at Stanford University School of Medicine, who argued in favor of SGA superiority.

Main points in favor of SGAs included results from meta-analysis trials (Arch of Gen Psych, June 2003) showing greater efficacy of clozapine, amisulpride, risperidone, and olanzapine when compared with typical antipsychotic treatment. SGAs also seem to have more beneficial effects for negative and cognitive symptoms, which, the debators argued, improves long-term quality of life.

The FGA supporters took issue with the results of the meta-analysis. Biases in these sorts of studies, they contended, include significant between-group differences that are "averaged out" in the end with extremely large population sizes, recruited subjects who have already failed to respond to FGA, improper dosing of FGA in comparison to SGA (Carpenter claimed that studies using lower FGA doses showed better results), and the practice of including "last observation carried forward", meaning that patients who prematurely drop out of the study are still included, using the "last observed value of performance", in the final results in order to preserve sample size.

The four did agree on two points, both of which are important for doctors and mental health consumers alike: second-generation antipsychotics are not a homogenous class (and therefore are not freely interchangeable), and that the best treatments must be tailored to an individual's unique needs by the treating doctor. With this in mind, it is vital to keep both typical and atypical antipsychotics as an option for consumers to try.

To read the full story, please see: "Experts Square Off Across Antipsychotic Generation Gap", Psychiatric News (http://pn.psychiatryonline.org), July 1 2005.

More information on schizophrenia medications: http://www.schizophrenia.com/meds.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Antipsychotics and Pregnancy

In the past we've discussed the use of antipsychotics during pregnancy: See
http://www.schizophrenia.com/sznews/archives/001823.html for a previous story.

Recently, a new article discusses this issue in detail by also considering the reproductive safety of newer atypical antipsychotics. Initially, the article discusses older typical antipsychotics, stating that such drugs have been proven to be "safe" in the area of tetragenic risk - the risk associated with substances such as chemicals or radiation which have the potential to cause abnormal development of an embryo.

However, the article points out that much less data exists on the reproductive safety of newer atypical antipsychotics. Atypical antipsychotics have become more popular (as compared to typical antipsychotics) because they cause different and in some cases "less severe" side effects than the older drugs. Since the newer drugs are used not only to treat schizophrenia and sometimes acute mania, but also to treat different states of psychiatric diseases such as anxiety, agitation, etc., the examination of their effects on an embryo seems to be a useful one:

 

A study published in April--the first prospective study of the reproductive safety of the atypicals in the literature--provides some reassuring data regarding the risk of malformations, albeit in a relatively small sample. Investigators from the Motherisk Program in Toronto prospectively followed 151 women who took olanzapine, risperidone, quetiapine, or dozapine during pregnancy. All had taken one of these agents during the first trimester, and 48 were exposed throughout pregnancy. A total of 151 pregnant women who had taken a nonteratogenic drug also were followed. In the atypical-exposed group, one child was born with a major malformation (0.9%), a rate lower than the 1%-3% background rate; compared with two (1.5%) babies in the control group, an insignificant difference.Differences between groups in the rate of spontaneous abortions, still births, or gestational age at birth were not statistically significant. Women taking atypical antipsychotics did have significantly higher rates of low-birthweight babies (10% vs. 2%) and therapeutic abortions (10% vs. 1%) (J. Clin. Psychiatry 2005;66:444-9).

As stated above, the data gathered was from a small sample. Thus, it seems that repeating the study might be beneficial to drawing any solid conclusions. Nevertheless, the main conclusion drawn seemed to be that the discontinuation of medication may be appropriate if the patient "can do without it." However, decisions depend on the uniqueness of each patient and their situation. The author of the article did state however, that a person who suffers from a psychiatric disorder and is planning a pregnancy may want to switch from an atypical antipsychotic to a typical antipsychotic. Further, the author of the article states that "...often...women who present when they are already pregnant and on an atypical agent. At this point a switch may not be the wisest decision, if she is at a risk of relapse." As usual, please consult your physician before making any changes in medication.

Source:
http://imng.com/
Title of Article: "Atypical antipsychotics; Drugs, Pregnancy, and Lactation"
Author: Dr. Lee S. Cohen
Date: June 15, 2005

Antipsychotic Medication Info:
http://www.schizophrenia.com/meds.html

 

 

 

Cognitive Rehabilitation to Improve Attention

Brain function in schizophrenia can improve with support, holds promise for cognitive rehabilitation

The Washington University in St. Louis reports that a study conducted there has demonstrated that brain function can be improved for people with schizophrenia. A portion of the story is included below - please see the entire newsblog entry at http://www.schizophrenia.com/sznews/archives/002048.html

Need cues, memory aids
When encouraged to use memorization strategies commonly employed by healthy individuals, people with schizophrenia can be helped to remember information just as well as their healthy counterparts, a process that in itself seems to spur a normalization of memory-related activities in the brains of people with schizophrenia, suggests new research from Washington University in St. Louis.
Memory study shows brain function in schizophrenia can improve with support, holds promise for cognitive rehabilitation

For decades, schizophrenia treatment has relied on powerful drugs to control the disease's most debilitating symptoms -- hallucinations, delusions and paranoia – often ignoring seemingly less ominous problems associated with learning, memory, attention and other cognitive functions that are so basic to everyday life.

Now, as part of a new wave of research aimed at helping people with schizophrenia lead fuller, more normal lives, a study at Washington University in St. Louis has demonstrated that people with schizophrenia can be helped to remember things just as well as healthy subjects as long as they are given proper cues and memory aids.

The study suggests a new way of understanding the cognitive problems that underlie schizophrenia, and offers hope that schizophrenia's suffering can be alleviated through the development of more effective cognitive rehabilitation programs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Compeer Buddies Help Recovery

We've heard good things about Compeer programs to help support the mentally ill. A recent story demonstrates how they are helping people:

Compeer buddies boost morale on path to recovery

Ed Schlaifer and Bruce Weill sit on a sofa in a Havertown coffee shop, sipping their drinks while smooth jazz flows from speakers above their heads.

This social time is big part of Schlaifer's week and has been since last year. That's when the Lansdowne man, who is recovering from schizophrenia, met Weill through Compeer of Suburban Philadelphia. The program matches people recovering from mental illness with volunteers for conversation, support and companionship.

"I found out about Compeer from my social worker at Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital in Darby," says Schlaifer, 59, a 1963 Upper Darby High School graduate who lives with and cares for his aged mother. "It breaks the monotony of being at home."

See Full Story: Compeer buddies boost morale, at http://tinyurl.com/dt4zk

More Information on Compeer: Compeer Web Site http://www.compeer.org/

 

 

Tom Cruise, Anti-Psychiatry, and Scientology

The tragically mis-informed attacks agains psychiatry made by Tom Cruise on the Today Show incited a variety of responses from consumers, professionals, and mental health organizations. Although the practice of psychiatry is far from perfect, and we still have lots of room for improvement regarding our treatment of individuals, the idea that mental illness is a non-existant, made-up diagnosis that can be treated through strength of will alone is both false (see research evidence of the biological effects of schizophrenia on the brain) and dangerous. Below is schizophrenia.com's newsblog response to Cruise's comments, as well as another story on the dangerous mistruths spread by the scientology community (of which Cruise is an advocate).

Cruise and Psychiatry

Though many celebrities can use their popularity for good, the reverse is also true. Recently, the actor Tom Cruise "called psychiatry 'a pseudoscience' and dismissed the effectiveness of antidepressants." It's unfortunate that such comments were made because they have the potential of adding to stigma associated with brain disorders. In addition to these comments, Cruise suggested "that attitude adjustment alone can overcome (brain disorders)."

These comments have attracted the attention of Congress and now some representatives are speaking out against what Cruise said:

Rep. Tim Murphy (R-Pa.), a psychologist and...co-chair of the caucus, took issue with Cruise’s apparent belief that attitude adjustment alone can overcome mental illness.“If this was the case, mental illnesses would have been cured during the time of the Salem witch trials,” Murphy remarked.

Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.), who has long pushed for legislation to enhance mental-health services, labeled Cruise’s comments “irresponsible and counterproductive.” Kennedy said it was wrong to denigrate effective treatments at a time when “10 kids die every day from suicide as a result of untreated mental illnesses” and “when our businesses lose $31 billion per year in productivity as a result of depression alone.”

The issue of brain disorders and the stigma associated with them is a real one. Brain disorders affect people from all walks of life, and in most cases there is little the affected person can do without treatment to control what's happening to them. It's important to note that comments such as those made by Tom Cruise may encourage suffering people to stay away from treatment. In some cases this can be fatal.

Original source story - see: "Cruise and lawmakers battle in a war of the words on mental health." http://www.thehillnews.com, June 29 2005.

Scientology's War against Psychiatry

Salon.com has an interesting story on what they are calling "Scientology's War on Psychiatry"

Following is a brief excerpt, and a link to the full story:

"The controversial church, whose founder called shrinks "terrorists" and which labels mental illness a fraud, is closer than you think to implanting its extreme beliefs in the nation's laws and schools.

...It may be easy to dismiss Tom Cruise's recent outbursts against psychiatry as the ravings of an egomaniacal celebrity. Comedians have certainly had a field day with Cruise, a fervent disciple of the Church of Scientology, ever since he scolded Brooke Shields for taking prescribed medication to treat her postpartum depression and lectured Matt Lauer, host of the "Today" show, that psychiatry was a "pseudoscience" and antidepressant drugs were worthless because there is "no such thing as a chemical imbalance." ...

But the Church of Scientology's war on psychiatry is no joke. For decades, Scientologists have maintained that the very notion of mental illness is a fraud. They base this belief on the views of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, who proclaimed that psychiatry was an evil enterprise, a form of terrorism, and the cause of crime. Now, they're attempting to enshrine their contempt for psychiatry in laws across the country." ...

Recently, the story states, "David Figueroa, president of the group's Florida chapter and a practicing Scientologist, states that mental illness, as defined by the psychiatric community, does not exist. For instance, he says, bucking the world's medical textbooks, "there is zero amount of proof that schizophrenia exists as a singular mental illness."

See Full Story: Scientology's War on Psychiatry
 

Mentally Ill Prison Rehab Programs - a harmful approach?

The Los Angeles Times has a news story on how Criminon International (a Scientology associated group that works in many countries of the world) is providing an "anti-psychiatry" rehabilitation program in one of the California prisons.

What is important about this news story from the LA Times is that it suggests that this group is recommending people avoid anti-psychotic medications - the treatment most recommended by experts (and backed up by many well-accepted, independent, peer-reviewed clinical studies demonstrating effectiveness in treating schizophrenia). In other words, the LA Times story suggests that Criminon International is recommending people who have psychiatric diseases abandon their proven medication and treatments, and adopt Criminon's own unproven treatments. If this information is accurate, it is our opinion this it would be a gross violation of ethical and scientific standards for the treatment of people who have schizophrenia.

Link to the full newsblog entry (which includes other resources on this topic): http://www.schizophrenia.com/sznews/archives/001874.html

 

 

 

A Hang-out Community for People with Brain Diseases
 

 

 

Research from developing countries demonstrates that being a member of a community might be beneficial to the psychiatrically disabled. One of our past articles discusses the positive effects that social ties have for people suffering from brain disorders such as schizophrenia.

Unfortunately, in America, the stigma associated with brain disorders makes it difficult for sufferers to form social ties. Unlike many Americans, those with psychiatric disabilities "rarely...find a place...to...be themselves - to get together and hang out with friends, hear some tunes and share some laughs." In order to remedy this problem places like the nightclub The Roxy in Lockport, Illinois have created evenings where the psychiatrically disabled can hang out. "Each Wednesday and Saturday night 60 or so people with (psychiatric disabilities) who live in Trinity Services, Incorporated's, group homes can just "chill out," with friends and invited guests."

They drink sodas and sparkling grape juice at an old, wooden bar; eat snacks and watch live baseball on TV from cafe tables; listen to professional bands that come in, or grab a guitar themselves and take the stage. Couples can share romantic conversations, sometimes a kiss. A few counselors and social workers tend bar, calm fears, defuse squabbles.

This sort of thing has been going on at The Roxy for 8 or 9 years. Its success has sparked the interest of agencies in other towns who are looking into creating similar atmospheres for the psychiatrically disabled.

Full Story: http://author.voanews.com/english/AmericanLife/2005-07-05-voa45.cfm
Title: "A PLACE TO JUST 'HANG OUT' FOR MENTALLY IMPAIRED" Author: Ted Landphair DATE: July 5, 2005.

Other support groups and resources for people living with brain diseases: see http://www.schizophrenia.com/coping.html

 

Recent High School Grads with Disabilities

A new article discusses the significance of high school graduation for the disabled. Many "good" high school districts provide services for disabled children. Through these services, disabled students are able to receive individualized education. And, their parents get help with "handholding and paperwork-filing." But, what happens after graduation? It seems that "...because of recent federal budget cuts, and chronic gaps in community funding for adults with disabilities, those leaving public education are 'losing a level of care they can't replicate...'" In fact, some disabled consider their high school graduation day to be a "day of mourning." After this day, many will be on long waiting lists, hoping to enter into some sort of government provided vocational training. Needless to say, such programs are few and far between. In addition, graduation day usually means the beginning of more responsibilities for the parents of disabled:

...Once students graduate, parents must take charge, searching for vocational and mental-health programs paid for by the state or covered by insurance. They have to get their children on waiting lists for day care. Some parents tell social workers that they feel like they've gone from being a ship's passenger to being the captain.

Fortunately, some places like "the PACER Center in Minneapolis" provide hope for both disabled children and their parents. The PACER Center helps people become more informed about the system by showing them how to navigate it, and by educating them about what options are available to them:

The PACER Center...is a national information center for families with disabled loved ones. "I always tell parents, 'Never take 'no' from a government agency without asking, 'To whom do I appeal this decision?'" says Jane Johnson, a PACER transition specialist.PACER also advises parents to start planning five to 12 years before their kids graduate, and to learn all they can about laws regarding housing, medical care and employment. If their children are capable of more independence, parents also must learn to involve their children in decisions -- and to let go.

More information about pursuing higher education or employment for people with brain diseases: see http://www.schizophrenia.com/family/FAQgen.htm#work

Source: "Moving On: 'Aging Out': When Disabled Children Get Too Old for Public Education"
Jeffrey Zaslow; The Wall Street Journa (http://www.wallstreetjournal.com)l; Jun 30, 2005; D.1

 

 

Filmmaker Speaks about Brother with Schizophrenia

A new story out of Australia may provide insight into the mind of one man suffering from schizophrenia.

Filmmaker David Glover has a brother with schizophrenia. Glover, who will be producing two episodes of a new show called DNA (provided by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation) shares a childhood anecdote:

"My mum's a neurobiochemist, my dad's a moral philosopher, my brother's now a schizophrenic and my sister's a psychiatric aide... When I was a kid my dad (Jonathan Glover) wrote a book and one of the things he thought about was in the future if science made it possible to change the human race through our genetics to make us happier or healthier or more intelligent, whether we should do it or not."

Apparently, BBC decided to make a documentary on the topic and as a result, they filmed David Glover at home with his two sons. Because of the filming, David questioned his father about the documentary. And so began a debate between David and his brother:"My brother was saying that he thought there was nothing wrong with changing people to make them happier or healthier or more intelligent. And I said, 'No I think there is something wrong with that, I think it wouldn't be the same me'..."

The argument became a large part of the documentary, and, Glover claims that he and his brother "represented the ignorance of the British public." Interestingly enough, David's brother, who now suffers from schizophrenia, has changed his view on the topic. According to Glover, his brother, is happy with who he is: "Even with all the struggle and burden and nightmare that he's been through he wouldn't want to be changed."

This personal story touches on the controversial issue of eliminating brain disorders with the use of science. Many agree that there is a link between creativity and psychiatric disabilities. Others think that such an elimination would be beneficial. The coverage of this story is not an attempt to take a stance.

To learn more the issue:
http://www.schizophrenia.com/sznews/archives/001917.html
 

To learn more about famous people who suffer from brain disorders:
Kay Redfield Jamison
John Nash

Source: http://www.news.com.au/
Title: "Smart family tree" Date: July 7, 2005.

 

New Gene-Scanning Technique

A team out of the University of Southampton recently announced that they have successfully applied a cost-effective technique to scan the human genome for genetic mutations.

The scanning device, meltMADGE, "combines thermal ramp electrophoresis with microplate array diagonal gel electrophoresis."

A team of British medical researchers used meltMADGE to scan the genes of about 10,000 individuals for mutations associated with cholesterol blood levels.

According to the original article in Science Daily: "This is the first time that it has been possible to find out whether there may be unknown rare genetic variations in the population which may cause mild forms of a particular disease or feature in just one or two individuals, or may even protect them against disease."

Although it is currently only being used for research, the team reports that this technology has the potential to be used in clinical practice. If it becomes mainstream, it could be revolutionary for diagnosis, family planning, and drug prescribing practices. Although schizophrenia and psychiatric disorders do not have single genes associated with them, gene-scanning for identified susceptibility genes could give someone a more accurate idea of what their hereditary risk is. At present, the only option families have are to go by loose statistics based on the clinical histories of their relatives (see the current estimates of how much genetics contributes to schizophrenia - http://www.schizophrenia.com/hypo.html#genes)
Moreover, scientists have already determined through some research studies that the unique genome of an individual can affect how their body reacts to medications (see schizophrenia.com Newsblog item 'Gene Profiling for Meds'). A gene-scanning technique that becomes commonplace in clinical practice could help speed up the clumsy trial-and-error process of determining dosages for different individuals, which could then increase beneficial effects sooner and reduce unwanted side-effects.

Original article: New Gene Scanning Technology Marks A Major Advance In Disease Research. Science Daily (http://www.sciencedaily.com), July 7 2005.

The Genetics of Complex Diseases

A team of scientists at Johns Hopkins University have just announced that susceptibility to a certain complex birth defect is not related to normal gene inheritance. Instead of occuring within a section of gene that codes for a protein molecule, the anomoly occurs in a section of gene that regulates the _expression of other genes. This type of interaction, where one gene influences the activity of another, is known as epigenetic interaction. Ways that one gene can influence another include sequences that determine the probability that a gene is turned on (making protein) or off, how much of the protein product it makes, and with what frequency.

"Our finding really underscores the fact that health and disease can be affected by all regions of a gene," says study leader Aravinda Chakravarti, Ph.D., director of the McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine. "For diseases like diabetes and heart disease, just as for Hirschsprung disease, multiple inherited factors contribute to the disease, and these factors are not just going to be in protein-coding regions."

Epigenetic interactions may be a place to look for schizophrenia or bipolar genetic susceptibility as well. It is well-known that while a family history increases one's risk for developing serious psychiatric diseases (see http://www.schizophrenia.com/research/hereditygen.htm), the genetic heritability is not a simple, single-gene affair. It is not a matter of gene-X coding for schizophrenia traits, and the presence of gene-X determines the presence or absence of that disease trait. Monozygotic identical twin studies have shown us that even if two people have the exact same genotype, one may still develop schizophrenia or bipolar disorder while the other will not.

Searching for epigenetic factors in schizophrenia and other heritable psychiatric disorders can provide both new hypotheses for causes, and new targets for treatment. For example, valproic acid - a mood stabilizer used to treat bipolar disorder - seems to have an effect on the epigenetics of gene _expression, in that it affects the chromatin structure (proteins that DNA is wrapped around when it is not being expressed) that determines which genes are being expressed and when (source: Schizophr Res. 2005 Jan 1;72(2-3):79-90
). Epigenetic factors that affect gene regulation may partially explain why there is such a wide variability in symptom severity, disease course, and family heritability. There are also many environmental factors to consider (see http://www.schizophrenia.com/hypo.html)

Searching for non-coding, epigenetic regions of DNA that are associated with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder may help scientists to determine exactly what effects they are are having on gene _expression in the brain, and what can be done to normalize regulation.

More recent papers on epigenetics and schizophrenia (abstracts available at http://www.pubmed.com):

1) Schizophrenia, epigenetics and ligand-activated nuclear receptors: a framework for chromatin therapeutics. Schizophr Res. 2005 Jan 1;72(2-3):79-90.

2) Genetics and Epigenetics in Major Psychiatric Disorders: Dilemmas, Achievements, Applications, and Future Scope. Am J Pharmacogenomics. 2005;5(3):149-160.
3) Incidental neurodevelopmental episodes in the etiology of schizophrenia: an expanded model involving epigenetics and development. Clin Genet. 2004 Jun;65(6):435-40.

Source article: Gene Regions Beyond Protein Instructions Important In Disease. Science Daily (http://www.sciencedaily.com), July 4 2005.

Son's Mental Disorder Led Mom to Start Support Group

Charlotte Davis has three sons and one of them was diagnosed with a mental disorder in 1998. Charlotte reacted to her sons disorder by creating a group that provides support to people and their families that are dealing with mental illness.

Charlotte Davis joined the Louisville chapter of NAMI, but found that there was little help where she lived. "Davis said the group was helpful, but its activities were focused on mental-health resources on the Louisville side of the Ohio River, so she gathered support for a Southern Indiana version of the group. It was launched in March 2003 and became an affiliate of the national organization in January 2004.

The group has more than 50 members and draws people to its monthly meetings from as far away as Salem, Scottsburg and New Washington. One of its core offerings, a 12-week course for relatives and friends of people with a mental illness, has drawn more than 60 participants" (Davis, 2005).

See full newsblog entry: http://www.moodswing.org/bpnews/archive/001713.html

Overactive Brain Enzyme May Increase Susceptibility to Stress

An errant enzyme linked to bipolar disorder, in the brain's prefrontal cortex, impairs cognition under stress, an animal study shows. The disturbed thinking, impaired judgment, impulsivity, and distractibility seen in mania, a destructive phase of bipolar disorder, may be traceable to overactivity of protein kinase C (PKC), suggests the study, funded by the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and National Institute on Aging (NIA), and the Stanley Foundation. It explains how even mild stress can worsen cognitive symptoms, as occurs in bipolar disoder, which affects two million Americans.

Abnormalities in the cascade of events that trigger PKC have also been implicated in schizophrenia. Amy Arnsten, Ph.D. and Shari Birnbaum, Ph.D. of Yale University, and Husseini Manji, M.D., of NIMH, and colleagues, report on their discovery in the October 29, 2004 issue of Science.

Full newsblog entry: http://www.moodswing.org/bpnews/archive/001698.html

Antidepressants for Bipolar Depression - tips to stay out of trouble

There is a good article on Current Psychiatry Online that talks about bipolar depression and treatment issues with antidepressants. The article is written for doctors, but most people can probably follow it.

The story states:

"In clinical practice, 50% to 80% of bipolar patients receive long-term antidepressants,1 although potential benefits probably outweigh risks in 20% to 40%. This gap suggests that psychiatrists could do more to stay out of trouble when prescribing antidepressants for patients with bipolar depression.

Antidepressants have not shown efficacy in long-term treatment, and evidence of their effectiveness in acute bipolar depression is limited. They appear to pose greater risk of switching and mood destabilization for some patients and certain types of bipolar illness, and some antidepressant classes are more worrisome than others.

Because carefully analyzing risks and benefits is essential when considering antidepressants for a patient with bipolar illness, this article clarifies that delicate balance and offers evidence-based recommendations for using antidepressants in bipolar depression."

See Full Story: Antidepressants for bipolar depression: Tips to stay out of trouble (available at http://www.currentpsychiatry.com)

Melatonin Agonist as Adjunct Treatment for Bipolar

A melatonin agonist may be able to treat those suffering from bipolar disorder. Agomelatine (Valdoxan) is the first melatoninergic antidepressant and it has been shown to be effective in treating major depressive disorder. This has led researchers to the conclusion that it might be useful in treating bipolar disorder.

"The new agent works on the melatonin 1 and melatonin 2 receptors and also has 5-HT2c antagonist properties, as do selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), said Dr. Calabrese, a professor of psychiatry, at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio. He added that the hope is that a melatoninergic agent would be less likely to cause hypomania and rapid cycling than are SSRIs" (www.medscape.com).

Ideally, this drug would be used along with a mood stabilizer. It has been sent to the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medical Products, and is expected to be approved by early to mid-2006.

See full newsblog entry: http://www.moodswing.org/bpnews/archive/001695.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Schizophrenia.com