Genetic Testing And Mental Health Disorders

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) has a number of features. First of all, every disorder is identified using a name and a numerical code. In addition, the manual provides the criteria for diagnosing each disorder as well as establishes subtypes of a disorder and examples that would illustrate the disorder. The manual goes further by addressing the typical age of onset, culturally related information, gender-related information, prevalence of a disorder, typical clinical course of a disorder, typical predisposing factors of a disorder and genetic family patterns of a disease (Summers, 2009). The DSM-IV is a tool that is used by mental health practitioners and social service workers. As has been demonstrated

Such researches, yet, do not give information on which or how many genetic materials are involved” (Mental Health, 2009).

Those that are recognized increase the possibility only by extremely small quantities. Consequently, these “genome scans” are improbable to offer a whole image of a person’s danger for acquiring a mental disorder like schizophrenia. Additionally, it possibly endures more than genes to instigate the disorder (Stefansson, Ophoff, Steinberg, Andreassen, Cichon, Rujescu, & Kahn, 2009). Experts reflect communications amongst genes and the environment are essential for schizophrenia to grow. Several environmental issues might be comprised, such as revelation to viruses or malnourishment before birth, difficulties during birth, and other not yet recognized psychosocial issues.

They are popularly referred to as being part of a continuum, the ability to successfully perform in productive activities and relationships, as opposed to the inability to do such things (Mental Illness Overview). Ever since the first edition of the DSM was published in 1952, scientists have studied how a person’s mind relates to their brain and whether the disorders they listed were organic or purely in the mind (Arben). Science has made extraordinary leaps in this aspect, as they have come to discover not only the biological change that causes mental illnesses, but they are also able to pin down even specific chromosomes linked to them. One in particular that has been heavily studied is depression, which is known to be related to a lack of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain. Some of the more recently developed medications, known as SSRIs, block the receptors that recycle serotonin from taking in too much and allowing enough to carry proper signals throughout the brain (Johnson). While some people insist on the opinion that drugs such as these are overprescribed (Medications for Mental Illness Are Overprescribed), professionals use tested algorithms when determining whether a patient is in need of medication, and if so what medication to use (Restricting Medications for Mental Illness Harms Patients). These methods have been fine-tuned over the past few decades and are used treat a patient to their own personal needs, and to aid

The general public increasingly attributes mental disorders to biological causes such as a chemical imbalance or inherited genes (Schnittker, 2008; Schomerus et al., 2012).

Family studies that Zandi and his research team have begun to conduct are beginning to look promising. His team has identified the response of a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), which was laying in the gene PPARD of a specific chromosome. After finding the first SNP, researchers were able to match its response to another SNP which had previously been identified as a bipolar cohort. Evertually they were able to locate four more associated with bipolar disorder, all of which were located on a single haplotype block, a combination of SNP’s, on gene PPARD. SNP’s are differences between DNA sequences that allow for genetic variations among humans. SNP’s are extremely difficult to identify, however new technologies have led to more recent discoveries. In the near future, as we gain more knowledge about them, SNP’s will allow researchers to revolutionize their ability to detect diseases, and develop preventative and curative medicine.

People with a family member who has an illness is more likely to inherit the trait but certain circumstances affect the development and doesn’t ensure the chance of it happening. It has been proven that more serious diseases such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are usually drawn back to past family members with the same disorder. This does not guarantee that the relative gets the illness but highers the chance of contracting the disease. Diseases such as obsessive- compulsive disorder and depression are less genetic. Infections have also been associated to brain damage. Infections can bring a possibility of causing an illness or affecting the symptoms in a negative way. A condition called pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder is identified with a bacteria called Streptococcus. This bacteria has been associated with obsessive- compulsive disorder and other diseases. Brain defects and prenatal injuries have been related to mental illnesses and usually form in early life. Substance misuse is another key factor in the development of a disorder. This abuse has been related to anxiety, depression, and paranoia. Some others factors that can contribute to the development of a mental disorder are poor health and disclosure to harmful substances. Biological factors play a major role is forming a mental disorder. Many scientists believe these are the main reasons for the formation of an illness but is it really?

    There are many disorders that people carry around their lives with them. Depression is a disorder in which a person is persistently in a upset mood and loses all interest in activities that they had once enjoyed. According to statistics, over 300 million people have been diagnosed with having depression. Bipolar depression is another common disorder. A person who has been diagnosed with depression has constant mood swings that range from depression low to manic high. Statistics show that 5.7 million carry this disorder and that it can be a genetic based disorder. Another disorder is Schizophrenia and it is not as common as other disorders, it can still occur. Some children have been diagnosed with Schizophrenia. This disorder affects the thoughts, feelings and behaviors of a person. 3.2 million people around the world have been affected by this disorder and it can be found to be a genetically based disorder but not only diagnosed with genetics.

According to the Mayo Clinic, “Schizophrenia is a severe brain disorder in which people interpret reality abnormally. Schizophrenia may result in some combination of hallucinations, delusions, and extremely disordered thinking and behavior.” The mental illness can cause people to act against their will, and will cause great harm to the victim of such illness. According to the NIMH, “Genetic tests for some rare diseases clearly tied to a specific, single gene, like cystic fibrosis, fragile X syndrome (a heritable cause of mental retardation), or sickle cell disease, give people definitive answers about their risk of getting these rare illnesses.” The two sources show us that genetic testing can tell someone whether they have the risk of late

While French physicians consider ADHD a psychosocial condition rather than a biological, only 0.5% of French children are diagnosed with ADHD. Conversely, 11% of US children are diagnosed as well as prescribed drugs such as Ritalin and Adderall. The over diagnosis of child-onset ADHD in the US also correlates with the rise of Ritalin prescription and abuse in school and college age adolescents (Mayes et al., 2008). Although physicians are working to implement greater scrutiny on false diagnoses of ADHD, there is still heavy misuse among the adolescent population and variability of doctor bias. The inconsistency in both reliable diagnostic and treatment consensus emphasize the imperative to implement stronger genetics based studies of psychiatric disorders. Such studies to pinpoint genes, gene products and eventually, neuro-biological pathways related to mental disorders can elucidate focused diagnostic tests and effective treatments for mental health patients. Population based studies were among the first scientific studies to confirm the heritable nature of mental disorders. Since the 1970s, psychiatrists clinically observed mental disorders among family members and hypothesized their possible heritable tendencies.

It is estimated that approximately one in every four American adults suffer from a mental disorder today. Within this subset of Americans, about six percent experience serious disabilities from their mental disorder. One of the more devastating mental disorders today is known as Huntington’s disease (Huntington’s chorea). Huntington’s largely affects people of European ancestry the most, an estimated three to seven out of every 100,000 of this decent suffer from it. Named after George Huntington who first characterized the effects of adult onset Huntington’s at the age of 22. In 1872, in the newspaper The Medical and Surgical Reporter, he described a disease that exhibited; loss of motor control, altered personality and a decline in cognitive

Inspired by psychiatric epidemiology, a range of risks factors traits associated with the increased risk for mental illness and investigated between different early and late onsets to a disorder (McGorry 2010). These enhance, specific traits that have links to pass different threshold to have the ability to intervene for remission or delay as well as if symptoms persist in later stage, then there is a potential for stepped-intervention for treatment (Eaton 1995). For example, a patient case is part of the design that adds to existing definitions of brain and mind disorders in traditional criterion

Psychopathology is a term, which refers to either the study of mental illness, mental distress or the manifestation of behaviors and experiences, which may be indicators to mental illness, or psychological impairment (Psychopathology, n.d.) Within clinical counseling, the use tends to be in the treatment of mental disorders, the origins or the development of mental disorder. Technologies are being used, as well as have been, developed that require an accurate model, which is always being advanced within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders, or the DSM. (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). For example, recent technology includes molecular genetics and mature statistical models. Which will in term assist in attempts to better understand where psychological disorders originate form. Currently, most psychopathology research follows the guidelines based in the fourth edition of the DSM, which assumes that mental disorders

The HGP was completed in April 2003, which for the first time gave us the ability to read nature's complete genetic blueprint for building a human being (Ginsberg, Nackerud, & Larrison, 2004). Just as a blueprint makes it easier for engineers to analyze problems and make repairs to a building, the human genetic blueprint will speed researchers’ efforts to understand the biological pathways involved in mental illness and to develop better methods of diagnosis and treatment (Ginsberg, Nackerud, & Larrison,