Posted by greenhornet on April 8, 2005, at 19:46:22
In reply to Bad Genes, posted by Toph on February 15, 2005, at 16:49:25
> I'm not certain if this board is only about medication but I'll see if this is appropriate. I have bipolar 1 disease, a pretty bad case with serious psychotic mania and major depressive episodes. Symptoms are well controlled with lithium and a Lamictal supplement. There is no detectible history of anyone in any past generations having this disease, none of my four siblings have symptoms nor any of my eight nieces or nephews.
>
> My greatest fear is that my 23-year old son or my 20-year old daughter may have the disease even though they are asymptomatc for now. They are becoming old enough that I am beginning to feel that they are out of the woods. But I wonder how others feel about passing mental illness on to their children. If a child inherits an illness do they resent their parents for it? Have you discussed your illness with them so they will know what to look for symptomatically or does this just needlessly worry them?
>
> Toph, feeling like he's writing Dear Abby--------------------------------------------
"One genetic marker of manic-depression was identified in a single extended Amish family. But this marker was not apparent in other families that displayed the disorder. Then, further evaluations placed several members of the family without the marker in the manic-depressive category. Another marker detected in several Israeli families was subjected to more detailed genetic analysis, and a number of subjects were switched between the marked and unmarked categories. Ultimately, those with and without the putative markers had similar rates of the disorder.Other candidates for a manic-depression gene will be put forward. But most researchers no longer believe a single gene is implicated, even within specific families. In fact, genetic research on manic-depression and schizophrenia has rekindled the recognition of the role of environment in emotional disorders. If distinct genetic patterns can't be tied to the disorders, then personal experiences are most likely crucial in their emergence."
No gene has ever been found that "causes mental illness"!
Predisposition? Maybe?
Learned behavior? Could be.Some interesting reading folks:
http://www.rethink.org/publications/pdfs/genetics1.pdfhttp://www.biopsychiatry.com/genesmental.htm
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1175/is_n4_v28/ai_17263034
poster:greenhornet
thread:458299
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/child/20050226/msgs/481781.html