Large study finds genetic 'overlap' between schizophrenia, bipolar disorder

Robert Carr — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 18:00:00 +0000

Knowledge about the biological origin of diseases like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and other psychiatric conditions is critical to improving diagnosis and treatment. In an effort to push the field forward, three UCLA researchers, along with scientists from more than 20 countries, have been taking part in one of the largest collaborative efforts in psychiatry — a genome-wide study involving more than 50,000 study participants aimed at identifying which genetic variants make people susceptible to psychiatric disease.

Author:

Mark Wheeler

Vast Gene Study Yields Insights on Alzheimer’s

System Admin — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 07:00:00 +0000

Media Article Link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/04/health/04alzheimer.html?_r=1&hpw

Nelson Freimer, professor of psychiatry and director of UCLA’s center for neurobehavioral genetics, was quoted in the April 3 New York Times about an Alzheimer’s study that discovered five genes offering new clues to why the disease strikes and how it progresses.

Autism Risk Rises in Closely Spaced Pregnancies, Study Finds

System Admin — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 08:00:00 +0000

Media Article Link:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40990120/ns/health-kids_and_parenting/

Rita Cantor, professor of human genetics at the David Geffen School of Medicine and professor of psychiatry at the Semel Institute, commented Jan. 10 in an MSNBC.com story on new research that suggests that autism risk triples when a child is conceived within 12 months of his or her next older sibling. The report also appeared on ThirdAge.com and the (Taiwanese) Liberty Times.

“Autism Risk Rises in Closely Spaced Pregnancies, Study Finds” http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40990120/ns/health-kids_and_parenting/
“Autism Risk: Risk of Autism Rises in Closely Spaced Pregnancies” http://www.thirdage.com/news/autism-risk-risk-autism-rises-closely-space...
The Liberty Times (Taiwan) http://iservice.libertytimes.com.tw/liveNews/news.php?no=452119&type=%E5...

Mapping Huntington's Disease

System Admin — Mon, 10 May 2010 07:00:00 +0000

Media Article Link:

http://dailynightly.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2010/05/10/2299317.aspx

Dr. X. William Yang, associate professor of psychiatry at the Semel Institute and a member of the Brain Research Institute, appeared May 10 in an NBC Nightly News segment about his identification of a molecular switch that prevents the development of Huntington’s disease in mice. Scientific correspondent Robert Bazell explored how the UCLA discovery may show similar promise in people suffering from the devastating genetic disorder. The report also aired on four NBC affiliates.