Scientists Find Possible Cause of Bipolar Disorder
Posted: November 2nd, 2013, 2:00 pm
Scientists Find Possible Cause of Bipolar Disorder
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Soon a cheap DNA test will be able to tell you what medication you should take. Yeah for science!
"The researchers then explored how extra amounts of Shank3 protein wreak havoc inside the brain. In lab studies that examined brain cells, called neurons, derived from the Shank3 mice, the researchers found that higher-than-normal levels of Shank3 boosted the number of dendritic spines on the neurons. That’s a key finding, because dendritic spines are structures that neurons use to receive excitatory signals.
Next came studies looking at the effects of two mood-stabilizing drugs commonly prescribed for bipolar disorder. In mouse studies, the researchers first tested whether the drug lithium reversed the effects of too much Shank3. It didn’t. That’s not particularly surprising, given that we know that lithium also doesn’t help a significant subset of humans with bipolar disorder.
The researchers then gave another drug often used for bipolar disorder, valproate, to the Shank3 mice. It worked—reversing the animals’ hyperactivity and sound sensitivity, as well as correcting abnormal signaling activity in the brain.
All of this—the latest study and the future work it will fuel—adds up to encouraging news for the more than 5 million U.S. adults affected by bipolar disorder. It also provides yet another compelling example of how basic research aimed at understanding fundamental biology may lead to more precise and effective ways to treat complex medical conditions."
http://www.govexec.com/excellence/promi ... der/72848/
Soon a cheap DNA test will be able to tell you what medication you should take. Yeah for science!
"The researchers then explored how extra amounts of Shank3 protein wreak havoc inside the brain. In lab studies that examined brain cells, called neurons, derived from the Shank3 mice, the researchers found that higher-than-normal levels of Shank3 boosted the number of dendritic spines on the neurons. That’s a key finding, because dendritic spines are structures that neurons use to receive excitatory signals.
Next came studies looking at the effects of two mood-stabilizing drugs commonly prescribed for bipolar disorder. In mouse studies, the researchers first tested whether the drug lithium reversed the effects of too much Shank3. It didn’t. That’s not particularly surprising, given that we know that lithium also doesn’t help a significant subset of humans with bipolar disorder.
The researchers then gave another drug often used for bipolar disorder, valproate, to the Shank3 mice. It worked—reversing the animals’ hyperactivity and sound sensitivity, as well as correcting abnormal signaling activity in the brain.
All of this—the latest study and the future work it will fuel—adds up to encouraging news for the more than 5 million U.S. adults affected by bipolar disorder. It also provides yet another compelling example of how basic research aimed at understanding fundamental biology may lead to more precise and effective ways to treat complex medical conditions."
