Orc Et Al Flashcards
What is the primary aim of the study conducted by Oruc et al.?
To determine whether specific polymorphisms of two genes associated with serotonin transmission (5-HT2c and the 5-HTT gene) were more common in people with bipolar disorder.
What methodology was used in the study by Oruc et al.?
Correlation study analyzing the association between bipolar disorder diagnosis and specific alleles of two candidate genes.
How did the researchers examine the frequency of alleles in the study?
Using blood samples from people with and without a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.
What type of sampling method was used to recruit participants in the study?
Opportunity sampling.
What was the average age of onset for participants with bipolar disorder in the study?
32 years.
What was the gender distribution of participants with bipolar disorder in the study?
25 females and 17 males.
What was the age range of participants with bipolar disorder in the study?
31-70 years.
How many participants with bipolar disorder had at least one first-degree relative with a mood disorder?
16 participants.
Who comprised the control group in the study?
An age- and sex-matched group of 25 females and 15 males without first-degree relatives with a psychiatric diagnosis.
True or False: The study included participants from various ethnic backgrounds.
False. All participants were Croatian.
Fill in the blank: The serotonin transporter protein associated with mood disorders is known as _______.
5-HTT.
What is the relationship between appetite and major depressive episodes as suggested in the study?
Appetite is frequently disrupted in major depressive episodes.
What is suggested about bipolar disorder in relation to serotonin receptors?
Bipolar disorder may be linked to irregularities of serotonin receptors.
What genes were analyzed in the study?
The serotonin receptor 2c gene (5-HTR2c) and the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTT).
What are the alleles of the 5-HTR2c gene?
Cys (C) and Ser (S).
What are the alleles of the 5-HTT gene?
Alleles 1 and 2.
What was the main finding regarding the polymorphisms of interest?
There was no significant difference in the specific polymorphisms on either of the genes.
What sex differences were found in the study?
The S allele of the 5-HTR2c gene was more common in females with bipolar disorder compared to female controls.
What specific group of females showed a difference in the 5-HTR2c gene?
Heterozygotic females (CS).
What was noted about females with bipolar disorder regarding the 5-HTT gene?
Females with bipolar disorder were slightly more likely to carry allele 1 of the 5-HTT gene than female controls.
What conclusion was drawn about the genes studied and bipolar disorder?
Neither gene appears to play a major role in increasing vulnerability to bipolar disorder.
What suggestion was made regarding females and serotonergic transmission?
The study suggests that females may be more vulnerable to genetic alterations to serotonergic transmission.
How does genotype relate to free will and determinism in bipolar disorder?
This study raises questions about the role of free will in conditions like bipolar disorder.
What was a methodological strength of the study?
All participants were carefully assessed to check that they reached the criteria for a diagnosis of bipolar disorder (type 1).
Two experienced psychiatrists assessed each patient using a Croatian language version of the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Lifetime Version (SADS-L).
Why is the assessment method important?
The disorder is difficult to diagnose due to overlaps between bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder, and other mood disorders.
What is a strength of the findings?
The findings strengthen the reliability of other studies.
For example, Oruc et al. replicated the findings of Gutiérrez et al. (1996), who found no significant difference between people with bipolar disorder and healthy controls regarding allele or genotype frequency for the 5-HTR2c receptor gene.
What hallmark of scientific research is emphasized?
Replication is an important hallmark of scientific research.
What was a methodological weakness of the study?
The small sample size meant there was not a good spread of people with different versions of the alleles of interest.
What specific limitation was noted regarding the SS genotype?
There were only three people (all male) with the SS genotype of the 5-HTR2c gene.
Why is replication crucial in studies?
The importance of these genes may have been overlooked, which is why replication is so crucial, even in studies where the null hypothesis was accepted.
