Genetic Risk of Some Mental Illnesses Tied to Increased Hospitalizations in Bipolar Disorder

Patients with bipolar disorder who have a high genetic risk for the condition or for schizophrenia may have a higher risk of hospitalization compared with those who have a lower genetic risk for either of these conditions, astudy in theJournal of Affective Disorders has found.Janos L. Kalman, M.D., of the Ludwig Maximillian University of Munich and colleagues analyzed the polygenic risk scores of 954 patients who had bipolar disorder for at least five years to determine if the patients ’ genetic risk of bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, or schizophrenia was associated with severe bipolar disorder. (The polygenic risk score is the sum of the effects of genetic variations that may contribute to a trait or condition.) The researchers determined the severity of the patien ts’ bipolar disorder by the number of hospitalizations in a mental health facility. The researchers also looked at the patients’ scores on item 90 of the OPCRIT, which assesses the course of the disorder. They grouped the patients into two categories, according to the course of the disorder indi cated in the OPCRIT: those with good recovery and those with chronic illness with residual symptoms.The researchers found that higher polygenic risk scores for bipolar disorder and schizophrenia were associated with an increased number of hospitalizations. However, higher polygenic risk scores for major depressive disorder were not associated with hospitalizations.Polygenic risk score did not appear to b...
Source: Psychiatr News - Category: Psychiatry Tags: bipolar disorder genetic risk hospitalization Journal of Affective Disorders polygenic risk scores schizophrenia Source Type: research