[bipolar] [bipolar-J] [depression] [depression-J]


Bipolar Disorder: Phenomenology and Molecular Biology


[12.7.03]
Expression of the cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) in hippocampus produces an antidepressant effect.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11331083&dopt=Abstract
Chen AC, Shirayama Y, Shin KH, Neve RL, Duman RS.

Department of Psychiatry, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven 06508, USA.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have demonstrated that chronic antidepressant treatment increases the expression of the cyclic amp (cAMP) response element binding protein (CREB) in rat hippocampus. The study presented here was conducted to determine if CREB is a relevant target that produces an antidepressant-like effect. METHODS: We employed the herpes simplex virus (HSV)-mediated gene transfer technique to overexpress CREB and determined its effect on the learned helplessness and forced swim tests, two established models used for pharmacological screening of antidepressant drugs. RESULTS: In the learned helplessness model, rats that received bilateral microinjection of HSV-CREB into the dentate gyrus showed significantly fewer escape failures in the subsequent conditioned avoidance test than those injected with control vector (HSV-LacZ). In contrast, microinjection of HSV-CREB in either the CA1 pyramidal cell layer of hippocampus or the prefrontal cortex did not produce an antidepressant response. In the forced swim test, CREB expression in the dentate gyrus resulted in a significantly shorter immobility time than those injected with HSV-LacZ. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that over-expression of CREB in hippocampus results in an antidepressant effect and suggest that CREB may serve as a potential molecular target for novel therapeutic agents. PMID: 11331083 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[Mapping genes for Bipolar Disorder] http://psychgenes.ucsd.edu/projects.htm [Mollecular Biology]
John Rice Kelsoe, Jr.
http://medicine.ucsd.edu/faculty/jkelsoe.htm
See an extensive list of publication publication



[8.1.03]
[Online Journal Article][B. Geller]
Complex and Rapid Cycling in Bipolar Children and Adolescents: A Preliminary Study Link

[updated 7-10-03]
This superb book covers almost every topics I have been looking for.

As far as I know, there are just two excellent books on early childhood bipolar disorder. The first one is "Bipolar Disorder in Childhood and Early Adolescence", edited by prominent researchers , Barbara Geller and Melissa DelBello. Published in 2003. ISBN: 1-57230-837-0 This books is written by researchers in epidemiology, phenomenology (and longitudinal course), bipolar and pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), comorbid disorders, offspring studies, NMDA receptor hypofunction, neuroimaging, affective newroscience and pathophysiology, immune system, sleep and biological rhythms, genetics, pharmacological treatment, psychotherapy, family interventions, and internet support for parents and children.

In short, this superb book covers almost every topics I have been looking for in research and practice. Needless to say, nobody claim that researchers and practitioners know everything about this area, however, we have finally have a book based on acamemic research. If you are researcher or practioner, maybe you will understand my frustration before I bump into this book and gratitude when I have found it.

[updated 7-10-03]
Another prominent book is for parents, yet it is also quite informative for me. The Bipolar Child- the definitive and reasusuring guide to childhood's most misunderstood disorder. By Demitri Papolos and Janice Papolos. I don't think that there is not such thing as definitive in terms of understanding and treating this illness. But surely this is one of the rare books, which will inform you about the topic.
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Interview with Husseini, Manji M.D. [updated 10-18-03] Interview with Husseini, Manji M.D.
"Probably the biggest advance has been in understanding how much goes on inside the cell." Whether in the pancreas or blood or brain, every cell talks to other cells through chemical messengers (called neurotransmitters in the brain). For many years, we have focused on the possibility that it is the chemical sending the message between cells that is overabundant or underavailable. Recently, we have discovered that the chemical sending the message between cells is just the starting point. Once the chemical binds to the cell membrane, there is a dynamic reaction: Hundreds and thousands of reactions go on inside the cell, and they seem to be much more important to the cell's functioning than the binding of the neurotransmitter to the outside."

"CABF: How far off are we from having a diagnostic test for bipolar disorder? And until then, how can parents avoid the wrong diagnosis? "MANJI: We are still pretty far off. Unfortunately, bipolar disorder is going to turn out to be due to different genes, and different bipolar families may have different genes. I think we are 5 to 10 years away from finding a bipolar signature, whether it is one from brain imaging or genes. And even that would not be diagnostic across the board, but only suggestive. More than one test will likely be involved. But the genetic signature could be very predictive, such that if you have it, there is a 90% chance you will respond to this drug or get this weight gain effect. Almost certainly we are headed there. Science can be very difficult to predict because tomorrow someone doing cancer research could come up with a finding that has amazing implications for those of us doing bipolar research. There is no question we will get there eventually.

Quoted: http://www.bpkids.org/learning/reference/interviews/004.htm
Interview with Husseini, Manji M.D.
Husseini, Manji M.D. is Chief of the Laboratory of Molecular Pathophysiology at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
Link: http://intramural.nimh.nih.gov/mood/proginfo/lmp.htm
_The Laboratory of Molecular Pathophysiology
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[updated 6-27-03] One of the most updated and comprehensive documents online on BP. (And they won't charge you or ask to log in.) Including background information, pathophysiology, DSM-like descriptions of symptoms, lab studies, treatment, medication... Just amazing.
"...a suggested cause of bipolar disorder is abnormal programmed cell death, or apoptosis, in critical brain circuitry that regulates emotion."
Link


[updated 6-27-03]
"Verbal learning (the CVLT) and sustained attention (the RVIP), are particularly potent indicators of the deficit in mania." - Guy M. Goodwin, M.D.Link

(Comment): It looks like that the author are referring to data from an adult population.
[updated 10-5-03]
RIKEN, a Japanese research institution does some exciting job on molecular biology of bipolar disorder (but they are using data from adult participants.)
Identification of Molecular Mechanism of Bipolar Disorder Leading to its Custom-Made Medication Revealed by the Difference of Gene Expression between Twins
Link

Their publication list is here: Link

-Resources for mood disorder in general-
[This Section May Overlap with my "Mood Disorder" Page]

[10.20.03]Bipolar Disorder Demystified: Mastering the Tightrope of Manic Depression by Lana R. Castle, Peter C., Md. Chybrow Another thorough and readable book on adult bipolar. Up-to-dated and full of insights and medical facts.

Places for treatment/Research:
Children's Hospital@Boston: Depressive Disorders Clinic

[7.28.03][Handbook Review]
"Handbook of Depression in Children and Adolescents", edited by W. Reynolds and H. Johnston. (1994) ISBN: So far, I reviewed only Chapter 3, "Adolescent Bipolar Disorder" Since this book is almost ten years old, it does not mention comprehensive Geller's works (see Bipolar Disorder: Phenomenology-my page).

Amazon.com says that John Wiley & Sons will publish "Mood Disorders: A Handbook of Science and Practice" by Michael J. Power (Editor) in January 2004. ISBN: 047084390X



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