Over time, the concept of psychotic depression has become separat

Over time, the concept of psychotic depression has become separated from that of endogenous depression. Psychotic depression has retained a secure place in the official

schemes, as a variant of severe depression. It is clearly definable, by presence of delusions (particularly if mood-congruent) Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical or hallucinations and there is validating evidence, for instance in the better response of such depressions to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) or antipsychotic drugs, than to antidepressants alone. Endogenous depression and its opposite arc more problematic, both regarding classificatory status and terminology. There is evidence in support. The factor-analytic and cluster- analytic studies of the 1960s and 1970s in most cases found a dimension or group.26 On detailed www.selleckchem.com/products/Enzastaurin.html examination, Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical this sometimes looks more like the psychotic element and sometimes the melancholic. However, neurotic depression did not emerge as clearly as a single group in these studies, and is heterogeneous.26 Dexamethasone Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical nonsuppression occurs predominantly in the endogenous group, and to some extent, so do other neuroendocrine toward abnormalities, such as blunting of growth hormone response to clonidinc and prolactin response to tryptophan. Regarding

treatment, the best ECT response is associated with the presence of psychomotor retardation and depressive delusions, characteristic of psychotic depression.27 Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical The endogenous picture may be useful as a characteristic of depressions that respond better to antidepressants than placebo, but this is not clear. However, boundaries are weak, with mixed cases common, Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical and distributions on factors do not show consistent and convincing bimodality which would indicate separation of disorders. The relationship to severity, the loose and confusing definitions, and the overlap between psychotic depression and melancholia bedevil the

area. Terminology has remained unsatisfactory. The term neurotic has dropped out of use, particularly in American psychiatry, where it was abandoned because of its diversity of meaning,28 partly because of previous associations GSK-3 with psychoanalysis, and partly to avoid the emphasis placed earlier in the US on personality and charactero logical aspects. Dysthymia, a chronic disorder that would earlier have been regarded as one form of neurotic depression, is now viewed as a mood disorder. In a somewhat parallel way, the term cyclothymic personality has been replaced by cyclothymic disorder, a form of bipolar mood disorder. The term endogenous was abandoned in official schemes because it is really a symptom syndrome that we refer to these days.

Ninety-seven percent (n = 29) of all participants were unable to

Ninety-seven percent (n = 29) of all check this participants were unable to ventilate within the recommended tidal volume for the simulated patient when using the conventional 1600 ml bag – a potentially catastrophic outcome for cardiac arrest patients in the field. A similar result was found with minute volumes, with the level of suboptimal ventilation reducing from 93% in participants using the 1600 ml bag to 70% (n = 21) in participants using the smaller 1000 Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical ml bag (p = 0.045). Doerges and colleagues were one of the first to query the difficulty in reaching new

ventilation targets with current capacity adult bags. Their study found that ventilation using an adult capacity bag via an advanced airway usually resulted in tidal volumes as high as 1000 ml and often over-shooting the recommended 400–600 ml by the ERC[16] Mean minute volumes of almost 20 litres were also noted with the use of a large bag. When compared Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical to a paediatric 700 ml bag, they found that they were able to reduce tidal volumes to a mean of 389 ml ± 113 and therefore significantly reducing the incidence Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical of hyperventilation[16] A MG132 side effects follow-up study showed that a medium sized adult bag (1100 ml) could provide a mean tidal volume of 623 ml ± 26 when used in conjunction with an intubating LMA[17] This produced a statistically significant difference when compared to

the use of a conventional 1500 ml bag (741 ml ± 33). Other authors have demonstrated similar difficulties in achieving guideline consistent ventilations during CPR, with some minute volumes peaking at 21.3 litres[15] In accordance with manufacturer specifications, the smaller 1000 ml capacity bag produces a maximum functional output of 750 ml – a characteristic Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical that is likely to completely eliminate the incidence of overzealous volumes in excess of 1000 ml. With research suggesting that current capacity bags are likely to result in hyperventilation, we can also demonstrate an Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical association to life-threatening secondary

complications such as gastric insufflation, regurgitation, aspiration and barotrauma[18] While the effects of hypoxia and hypocapnia have proven to reduce the survivability of patients with severe head injury, the effect of suboptimal ventilation on outcomes for cardiac arrest patients are nowbeginning to demonstrate similar outcomes for swine models in cardiac AV-951 arrest[19] It is now becoming more evident that “larger tidal volumes and ventilation rates can be associated with complications, whereas the detrimental effects observed with smaller tidal volumes appear to be acceptable.”[4] The results from this study have provided teaching staff with evidence to assist them in improving student ventilation during clinical simulation sessions. The findings from this study also highlight the need to investigate the ventilation ability of practicing Victorian paramedics.

It seems that Steinberg pays only lip-service to the transcendent

It seems that Steinberg pays only lip-service to the transcendental position in Judaism that became an essential part of Jewish prompt delivery theology since the Middle Ages to these days. I am puzzled by the obsession to locate a transcendental deity in the middle of the debate over how the universe came into being, whether the universe is eternal or created at a certain time, and how, when, Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical and what is its history. It seems that he is not aware, or rather chose to ignore, the considerable theological challenge this view produces. By accepting an unconditional transcendental God, one must dismiss any notion of ontological reality, namely,

the assertion of Godly cosmic intelligence which is reflected in the world and its functions. All knowledge, no matter where, how, and by whom it is produced, ought to be discussed unrelated to an ontological reality (of which we know nothing and cannot know anything). It should be emphasized that the transcendental position in Judaism did not start with the Jewish philosophers of Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical the Middle Ages; evidence Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical for this position can be found among Chazal

in the Talmud; for example, Babylonian Talmud.24 Interestingly, some of our contemporary Orthodox scientists and rabbis have revived the medieval scholastic argument (which is Christian in its origin) that there is no necessary conflict between science and religious belief since God wrote two books, the Bible and the “Book of Nature”, by which his existence and intentions could be known. Therefore, the study of nature had religious

value, and the notion that humans should use their God-given faculties of observation and reason to read the “Book of Nature” accurately could be regarded Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical as a religious duty.6,25 I Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical strongly disagree with this view, and I am acutely aware of its consequences. We must not deceive ourselves into believing that the Torah provides any more useful information regarding nature than the natural sciences provide about the Torah. www.selleckchem.com/products/arq-197.html Invoking this old idea is not only problematic from the perspective of Halakhic Judaism, but it also reflects a deep misinterpretation of current natural sciences, Drug_discovery as amply exemplified by Steinberg’s article. There is a decisive difference between what was called “science” in ancient and medieval times and what is called “science” today, and Steinberg seems not to pay attention to it. The major change that took place in the scientific outlook (starting roughly in the seventeenth century) was the introduction of the concept of the functional relations among the phenomena investigated by science. Modern science succeeds by looking solely for functional relations across factual data. Experimental biology, as physics beforehand, refrains from dealing with problems of life itself and focuses upon its active mechanisms. These mechanisms are described by the functional relations among phenomena.

46,110,123 These rates are comparable to the rates of recurrence

46,110,123 These rates are comparable to the rates of recurrence in adult samples.124-126 In addition to recurrent episodes during childhood and adolescence, longitudinal studies of depressed youngsters documented recurrent episodes in adult life.46,112,127 There also appears to be some specificity in the continuation of psychopathology Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical in adult life, particularly with respect to adolescent-onset depression. Several studies of depressed adolescents documented increased risk for recurrent selleck chemical Navitoclax depressive episodes, but not other psychiatric disorders, when compared with their counterparts without depression.127-130 In contrast, there is some evidence that

childhood-onset selleck chem depression is not necessarily predictive of depression in adulthood, except for a subsample with symptoms characteristic of the adult disorder.128,130,131 Among children, adolescents, and adults, few baseline demographic or clinical characteristics Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical predict who will or will not experience a recurrent depressive episode.

Some potential predictors of recurrence in adults include early onset, number of prior episodes, stressful experiences, cognitive vulnerability, negative family interaction patterns, comorbid personality disorders, and persistent biological dysrcgulation Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical during recover}’.59,132 Among youth, co-occurring personality problems, specifically borderline personality disorder symptoms, were associated with recurrence.125,133 There is disagreement regarding whether girls are at increased risk for recurrent depressive episodes than boys.69,111,112,133 although no gender differences were found in recurrence rates among adults.134 Other Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical psychiatric outcomes Although recurrent unipolar depression is the primary outcome for depressed youth, development of other psychiatric Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical disorders has also been documented. Longitudinal studies reported that 20% to 40% of children and adolescents with major depressive disorder developed bipolar disorder within a period of 5 years.48,129,135,136

Brefeldin_A The clinical characteristics associated with increased risk for bipolar disorder in youngsters and adults with depression include early-onset illness, mood lability, depressive episode accompanied by psychomotor retardation or psychotic features, atypical depression, protracted depressive episodes, family history of bipolar disorder or heavy familial loading for mood disorders, and pharmacologically induced hypomania.94,136-139 Depressed youngsters are also at risk for developing substance use disorders in adolescence and adulthood.62,88,101,140-142 Protracted depressive episodes, comorbid anxiety or conduct disorder, and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) dysregulation may be associated with increased risk for substance abuse in depressed youth.

This paper describes the methodology for a definitive multi-cent

This paper describes the methodology for a definitive multi-centre, randomised, controlled trial of paramedic cooling during CPR compared with standard treatment. Paramedic cooling during CPR will be achieved using a rapid infusion of large volume (20-40 mL/kg to a maximum of 2 litres) ice-cold (4°C) normal saline. The primary outcome measure is survival at hospital the discharge. Secondary outcome

measures are rates of return of spontaneous circulation, rate of survival to hospital admission, temperature on arrival at hospital, and 12 month quality of life of survivors. Discussion This trial will test the effect Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical of the administration of ice cold Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical saline during CPR on survival outcomes. If this simple treatment is found to improve outcomes, it will have generalisability

to prehospital services globally. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01172678 Background Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical premature death in Australia [1]. More than half of these deaths (approximately 25,000 per year) occur prior to hospital arrival. Despite sophisticated emergency medical service responses to sudden cardiac arrest, less than half of sudden cardiac arrest patients are able to be resuscitated by paramedics [2]. For those who are initially resuscitated and transported to hospital, the prognosis is still poor, particularly in rural areas [3]. Much of the Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical mortality and morbidity after hospital admission is due to the anoxic brain injury sustained during the cardiac arrest [4].

One major recent advance in the treatment of severe anoxic brain injury following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is therapeutic hypothermia (TH). When induced after resuscitation, this treatment Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical was shown to improve neurological and overall selleck products outcomes in two randomized, controlled clinical trials [5,6]. The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) now recommends TH (33°C for 12-24 hours) as soon as possible for patients who remain comatose after resuscitation from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest for shockable rhythms and suggests that this therapy be considered for non shockable rhythms and in-hospital arrests [7,8]. The optimal timing AV-951 of TH is still uncertain. Laboratory data have suggested that there is significantly decreased neurological injury if cooling is initiated during CPR [9-11]. Clinical and laboratory trials over the last three years have established that a rapid intravenous infusion of a large volume (20-40 mL/kg) of ice-cold fluid (i.e. normal saline) during CPR is a feasible and an effective method of induction of mild TH [12].

Decreases in muscle strength and the electrophysiological indicat

Decreases in muscle strength and the electrophysiological indication of denervation are hallmark signs of clinical symptoms in ALS patients. Furthermore, ALS El Escorial diagnosis criteria include signs of upper and lower MN degeneration, with symptom onset Belinostat clinical progressing to another area (e.g., lower to upper limbs). Our results provide further evidence that the mutant SOD1G93A mouse reliably models the human disease with pathological signs in both lower

Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical and upper MNs (Ozdinler et al. 2011), as well as muscle weakness in both upper (loaded grid test) and lower (gait analysis) limbs. We propose that P30 therefore represents a more realistic approximation of symptom onset in mutant mice and therefore a reevaluation of previous preclinical studies for ALS should be considered in light of this. Indeed, studies where treatment of SOD1 mutant mice was begun at P30 or earlier demonstrated some of the most effective survival promoting effects reported (Kieran et al. 2005; Pun et al. 2006; Gifondorwa

Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical et al. 2007). Muscle denervation as a therapeutic target Several studies have demonstrated that protecting cell bodies from death fails to substantially alter disease progression or life span (Sagot et al. 1995; Kostic et al. Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical 1997; Ferri et al. 2003; Chiesa et al. 2005; Libby et al. 2005; Gould et al. 2006; Suzuki et al. 2007). Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical Rather, the early loss of connectivity may be the most important contribution to the organisms disability and this aspect of neurodegenerative disease has been a neglected potential therapeutic target. What leads to denervation? There is no difference at P14 between SOD1 and WT TA muscle in terms of the number of innervated postsynaptic NMJs. This result suggests that NMJs are initially formed normally, Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical but by P30 there is a significant denervation of TA NMJs. Our results are consistent with previous reports in the literature indicating

that FF MNs (e.g., TA MNs) are more susceptible to denervation than S MNs (e.g., soleus MNs) (Frey et al. 2000; Hegedus et al. 2007; Pun et al. 2006). The early denervation of FF MNs is partially compensated for functionally by sprouting and Entinostat reinnervation by fatigue resistant (FR) and slow (S) MNs (Frey et al. 2000; Hegedus et al. 2007). Although it has been suggested that eventually even these more resistant MN subtypes become unable to compensate at which point muscle weakness ensues followed by MN degeneration (Hegedus et al. 2007), there appears to be a fast fiber-specific vulnerability in the SOD1 mouse. Accordingly, it is important to understand the mechanisms involved in the prompt delivery differential vulnerability of MNs innervating fast fatigable (FF), FR, and S muscle fibers in ALS. We find that the presynaptic terminals and axons of both TA and soleus innervating MNs show enlarged and vacuolated mitochondria.

The patient is treated with a substrate whose metabolism shows a

The patient is treated with a substrate whose metabolism shows a wide interindividual variability,

as demonstrated by TDM. A drug is characterized by a low therapeutic index, ie, risk of toxicity in the case of a genetically impaired metabolism or, on the other hand, risk of nonresponse due to an ultrarapid metabolism and the inability to reach therapeutic drug selleck chemicals MG132 levels. The patient presents Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical unusual plasma concentrations of the drug or its metabolite(s), and genetic factors are suspected to be responsible. The patient suffers from a chronic illness, which requires life-long treatment. As outlined above, both phenotyping and genotyping are recommended in some circumstances, as a “traitmarker” and a “state-marker.” Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical Currently, data obtained by TDM represent a “state-marker.” Practical aspects of TDM Previous studies suggest

that the “compliance” of the treating physician needs to be improved, as many requests or indications for TDM were inappropriate.169 Moreover, clinicians frequently do not follow the recommendations given by the laboratory to adjust the treatment.73 Therefore, some practical recommendations Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical are summarized (see reference 11 for a comprehensive presentation) for the optimal use of TDM, as illustrated in Figure 1. Recommendations for the treating physician Preparation of TDM Some patients may particularly benefit from TDM: an antidepressant drug should then be recommended for which TDM is available, either to minimize adverse effects or optimize its clinical efficacy. A well-defined “therapeutic window” Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical for this drug (Table IV) or at least known plasma concentration ranges for clinical doses (Table II) should be available. Blood should be collected for TDM in steady-state conditions, ie, at least 5 drug half-lives after changes in dose and during the terminal β -elimination phase. Generally, the appropriate sampling time for most DAPT secretase antidepressants (except for Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical fluoxetine) is 1 week after stable daily dosing and immediately before ingestion of the morning dose, ie,

about 12 to 16 h (or 24 h if the drug is given once daily) after the last medication. It should be considered that both after a modification of the dose and after prescription of a comedication, which may inhibit or enhance the metabolism of the drug to be measured, steady-state Carfilzomib conditions are reached again only after a few days. TDM should then be delayed, in case unexpected side effects are observed. Most antidepressants are stable in serum or plasma for at least 24 h170 and can therefore be sent to the laboratory at room temperature. It is mandatory to consider technical recommendations given by the laboratory: choice of anticoagulant (plasma, serum), sample volume and its labeling, conditions for mailing, influence of light, and temperature. Information on comedication may help the laboratory to avoid analytical problems (interferences with other drugs).

Polygenic effects on intellectual disability There are a small n

Polygenic effects on intellectual disability There are a small number of rare developselleck bio mental disorders that result in intellectual disability and are thought to have a polygenic basis. Among these, autism (a condition marked by abnormal language and social development, together with obessional behavior) is known to have an extremely high heritability (over 90%).80 The difficulties besetting attempts to identify the predisposing loci are common to all attempts to dissect the genetic basis of complex, polygenic phenotypes, with different studies reporting different findings (Table II).79,81 At present, there is some replicated

evidence pointing to a locus on chromosomal region 7q.82 Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical Mapping the loci determining quantitative variation in IQ has yet to yield convincing results. There has been more success mapping the genes that influence a specific intellectual function, namely reading. A locus at 6p21.3 is one of the few replicated findings in behavioral genetics, with a number of studies reporting that the locus is relatively specific for Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical reading Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical disability.83-87 Assuming that the approach does work and that localizations for polygenic variation in intellectual disability i are found, we

are faced with the question of whether genes that determine variation overlap with the mutations described above. Conceivably, the same pathways are Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical involved , in which case the combination of mapping ) and molecular pathology screening would be ideally placed to identify the many genes that are responsible for intellectual disability. Selected abbreviations and acronyms AS Angehnan syndrome ATRX alpha -thalassemia X selleck chemical Crenolanib linked mental retardation syndrome CLS Coffin Lowry syndrome CREB cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element-binding protein CTAF conotruncal anomaly face syndrome DGS DiGeorge syndrome GAP GTPase-activating protein GDI guanosine nucleotide dissociation

inhibitor GDP guanosine diphosphate GTP guanosine triphosphate GTPase guanosine triphosphatase MAPK mitogen-activated protein kinase MR mental retardation Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical NF1 neurofibromatosis type 1 PWS Prader-Willi syndrome snoRNA small Drug_discovery nucleolar RNA VCFS velocardiofacial syndrome XLMR X-linked mental retardation Notes This work was supported by the Wellcome Trust.
Cognitive defects and neurological diseases represent a major issue for human health, especially in aging populations. An estimated 15% of people >65 years are affected by mild-to-severe conditions of genetic origin affecting the central nervous system. Etiological factors of common neurological and psychiatric disorders remain elusive, apart from a few genes associated with rare disorders, such as one form of Alzheimer’s disease(APP),a form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (SOD1), expanded polyglutamine track in Huntington’s disease, and several types of ataxia or ion channel-associated conditions.

The three most prevalent, residual symptoms were disturbances in

The three most prevalent, residual selleck inhibitor symptoms were disturbances in sleep (44%), fatigue (38%), and anhedonia (27%). Since the majority of these patients reported sleep disturbance prior to treatment with fluox-etine it. is less likely to have been a treatment-emergent adverse event. The persistence of insomnia is a particular concern, given the protocol propensity for residual sleep disturbance Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical to predict relapse.36 Persistent sleep disturbances in SSRT “responders” include prolonged sleep latency (beyond 1 hour), reduced total sleep time, and multiple awakenings. Although coprescription of a hypnotic may have a beneficial effect,37 concerns about long-term

hypnotic use limit this recommendation. Elsewhere, advantages beyond sleep restoration Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical were demonstrated when cszopiclone and fluoxetine were combined in the acute treatment of MDD.38 Given the role of sleep disruption in predicting relapse, there is a strong argument, to consider sleep disturbance as a core symptom in depression,

and to emphasize the importance of sleep restoration early in the treatment of an MDE. The daytime effects of persistent sleep disruption should not be underestimated in depressed patients. Fatigue Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical and apathy Particularly in primary care settings, depressed patients are likely to present, with complaints of exhaustion or inability to carry out physical or mental work. In fact, fatigue was the commonest, depressive symptom Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical in a survey of family practice settings.39 In the large European collaborative study of almost 2000 depressed patients across 6 countries

(DEPRES II), 73% of patients “felt, tired”; this symptom was associated with severity of the episode and was more prevalent in women.40 Although “fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day” is not. considered an essential depressive symptom according to DSM-IV, it. Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical is emphasized within the atypical symptom cluster, with “leaden paralysis” as the extreme variant. However, reduced energy is considered a “core Cilengitide feature” in the definition of depressive episode according to ICD-10, emphasizing that marked tiredness may occur after only slight, effort.41 It is a reasonable assumption that sleep disturbance and daytime fatigue are related (as previously reviewed – over 40% of remitters to fluoxetine had sleep disturbance and just, under 40% had fatigue), although there are no data to confirm this relationship. Similarly, apathy may overlap with diminished interest, loss of energy, and even indecisiveness, but this construct is too nonspecific to be considered a core symptom. In fact, apathy has been reported more frequently as a side effect, in up to 20% of patients who receive SSRI antidepressants.

It is a commonly held view that mild forms of MR are multifactori

It is a commonly held view that mild forms of MR are multifactorial,

while Glioma severe forms are largely due to catastrophic genetic defects, including chromosomal aberrations and mutations of single genes. Lehrke6,7 assumed that MR genes and genes determining the IQ were identical, and others speculated that risk factors for mild MR might be allelic variants of these genes,43,44 exerting a moderate effect on the IQ. As the number of MR genes is increasing, and in view of the novel methods for highthroughput mutation detection, everything seems to be in place for putting these ideas to the test. Acknowledgments The author would like to thank Sarah Shoichet, Vera Kalscheuer, Andreas Tzschach, Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical and Reinhard Ullmann for critically reading the manuscript, and Gabriele Eder for secretarial assistance.
Schizophrenia

and bipolar affective disorder (bipolar disorder, manic depression) are major psychiatric disorders. They profoundly affect thought, perception, emotion, and behavior, and their symptoms Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical cause significant social and/or occupational dysfunction. The World Health Organization ranks both disorders among the top 10 leading causes of the global burden of disease for the 15-to-44 age group. Schizophrenia Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical and bipolar disorder are illnesses with a largely unknown pathophysiology and etiology. However, genetic epidemiology has demonstrated that modern psychiatric diagnostic criteria define disorders Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical that are highly heritable. Estimates of heritability range between 70% and 90% for schizophrenia1 and 60% and 80% for bipolar disorder.2 It is generally accepted that the inheritance of psychiatric disorders

is complex. Multiple genetic and environmental factors contribute to the development of a disorder3-9 and it is possible Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical that gene-gene interactions also occur.10,11 Extensive efforts have been made over the past 20 years to identify the susceptibility genes for psychiatric disorders on a molecular genetic level, although this has proven to be a far more difficult undertaking than was first anticipated. Until recently, the linkage approach and microscopic cytogenetic studies were the only available methods of systematically searching the genome. A disadvantage of these two methods is their low level of resolution. Anacetrapib Linkage studies have identified a series of chromosomal regions that are likely to contain susceptibility genes, and highly promising association findings have been obtained for selleck bio several genes in these regions (eg, neuregulin 1 [NRG1], G72/G30 locus, dystrobrevin-binding protein 1 [DTNBP1]).12-14 However, it has not yet been possible to identify any genetic variant that confers a direct functional effect and which is consistently associated with disease across populations. Cytogenetic studies have also generated some highly promising candidate genes such as the disrupted-in-schizophrenia-1 gene (DISCI).