Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-dh8gc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T13:10:55.339Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Affective Disorder on Paternal and Maternal Sides

Observations in Bipolar (Manic-depressive) Patients with and Without a Family History

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Julien Mendlewicz ,
Ronald R. Fieve ,
John D. Rainer  and
Mima Cataldo
Julien Mendlewicz
Affiliation:
Brugmann Psychiatrie Institute, Brussels University. Department of Medical Genetics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, 722 West 168th Street, New York, New York, 10032, U.S.A.
Ronald R. Fieve
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine, New York State Psychiatric Institute and College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York, 10032, U.S.A.
John D. Rainer
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Genetics, New York State Psychiatric Institute and College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York, 10032, U.S.A.
Mima Cataldo
Affiliation:
Rockland State Hospital; Department of Medical Genetics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, 10032, U.S.A.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

Recent family studies of manic-depressive psychosis have emphasized the role of genetics in the aetiology of this bipolar illness (3, 8). However, the mode of genetic transmission is still unknown, the main controversy being between major gene and polygenic inheritance. Furthermore, it is not yet evident whether bipolar illness constitutes a homogeneous entity or whether it may be subdivided into different genetic subgroups. Mendlewicz, Fieve, Rainer, and Fleiss (1) recently produced some evidence that bipolar psychosis can be differentiated into two subgroups on the basis of family history data. Two matched samples of 30 patients each were studied, distinguished by the presence or absence of bipolar illness in their first degree relatives. The patients with a positive family history (FH+) in first degree relatives showed earlier onset of illness and more psychotic symptoms occurring in the manic phase. Alcoholism, if present, was of an episodic pattern. In patients with a negative family history (FH—), there was a later onset of illness; psychotic symptoms occurred usually in the depressive phase; and alcoholism, when present, tended to be chronic.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 122 , Issue 566 , January 1973 , pp. 31 - 34
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1973 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Mendlewicz, J., Fieve, R. R., Rainer, J. D., and Fleiss, J. L. (1972). ‘Manic-depressive illness: A comparative study of patients with and without a family history.’ British Journal of Psychiatry, 120, 523–30.Google Scholar
2 Mendlewicz, J., Fieve, R. R., Rainer, J. D., and Fleiss, J. L. (1972). ‘The nature of affective equivalents in relation to affective disorders.’ Symposium on Affective Equivalents. Proceedings of the Vth World Congress of Psychiatry, Mexico. In press.Google Scholar
3 Perris, C. (1966). ‘A study of bipolar (manic-depressive) and unipolar recurrent psychosis.’ Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica Supplementum 194.Google Scholar
4 Perris, C. (1971). ‘Abnormality on paternal and maternal sides: observations in bipolar/manic-depressive and unipolar depressive psychosis.’ British Journal of Psychiatry, 118, 207–10.Google Scholar
5 Slater, E. (1966). ‘Expectation of abnormality on paternal and maternal sides: A computational model.’ Journal of Medical Genetics, 3, 159–61.Google Scholar
6 Slater, E. and Tsuang, M. T. (1968). ‘Abnormality on paternal and maternal sides: Observation in schizophrenia and manic-depression.’ Journal of Medical Genetics, 5, 197–9.Google Scholar
7 Tsuang, M. T. Maxwell, J., and Price, J. S. (1971). ‘Distribution of ancestral secondary cases in bipolar affective disorders.’ British Journal of Psychiatry, 118, 215–8.Google Scholar
8 Winokur, G., and Clayton, P. (1967). ‘Family history studies: I. Two types of affective disorders separated according to genetic and clinical factors’, in Recent Advances in Biological Psychiatry (ed. Wortis), 9, 35–50.Google Scholar
9 Winokur, G., and Clayton, P. (1967). ‘Family history studies: II. Sex differences and alcoholism in primary affective illness.’ British Journal of Psychiatry, 113, 973–9.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.