Unlocked: the secrets of schizophrenia

Unlocked: the secrets of schizophrenia

www.independent.co.uk

Scientists have discovered a remarkable similarity between the genetic faults behind both schizophrenia and manic depression in a breakthrough that is expected to open the way to new treatments for two of the most common mental illnesses, affecting millions of people.

Previously doctors had assumed that the two conditions were quite separate. But new research shows for the first time that both have a common genetic basis that leads people to develop one or other of the two illnesses.

Three different international studies investigated the genetic basis of schizophrenia by pooling their an

(visit the link for the full news article)

This has the potential to be a truly remarkable breakthrough in the treatment of two diseases that blight the lives of many.

It may also help remove the stigma of mental illness and help provide real insight for the layman into the diseases and how they affect otherwise healthy people.

For too long, mental illness has been stigmatized by ignorance, hopefully this will help push barriers aside.

The WHO states that as many as 33% of people will suffer from mental illness at some point in their lifetimes.

As well as erasing barriers, this may also offer new treatments and lead to a "cure" instead of just "managing" conditions and enriching big pharma.

www.independent.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

This is good news, I agree that it does effect millions of people, including world leaders and their followers.

However, just because you have the gene doesn't mean you will have the illness, you just have to be more careful not to overload yourself.

This is a good post and a very very important one, S&F for you, budski.

Here's a simulation of what being Schizophrenic is like:


This is great news for millions of people. Not just those afflicted by this ailment, but the millions of family members, friends, and associates of those who suffer from these two crippling diseases.

I'm glad we have science, that's all I can say

My biggest hope for this research is that it will remove the stigma associated with any form of mental illness, and also lead to a better understanding.

Frankly, I'm sick of ignorant people who try to say mental illness is not real illness.

It's real, and it affects hundreds of millions of people and their families etc

If we put as much money and time into this as we do into curing STD's, we might finally get somewhere.

If we put as much research into finding the causes of mental illness as big pharma do into finding new "wonder drugs" which simply suppress an illness, all those people may finally have a decent quality of life.

reply to post by budski


Who says that? I think you must be living deep in the bible belt to hear that sort of nonsensical talk.

Originally posted by Kaytagg
reply to post by budski

 

Who says that? I think you must be living deep in the bible belt to hear that sort of nonsensical talk.

Actually, I've heard it on here.

Many times.

Have a look in some of the threads about depression etc in the medical forum...

My girlfriend of nearly twenty years has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia since she was a teenager, and as well as being her partner, I am her registered carer. I am invited to sit in on her CPA meetings with her psychiatric nurse, GP and psychiatrist, and my experience with this illness tells me that it is only too real for its sufferers.
She has hallucinations regularly, like saying she can see puppies in the corner of the room, when the only pet we have is a cat, and she tells me that she hears at least five different 'voices', telling her to kill me, the cat, and herself, and describing her as the devil's daughter.
She is on a large number of anti-psychotic medications, which have very bad side-effects, and she suffers daily with her weight, as most of the meds have weight gain as a problem, her doctor is so concerned about it that he is saying if she puts on any more weight, she could be risking her life.
To those people that would deny the existence of schizophrenia, I say live with a sufferer for a week, go through their problems with them and see if they still believe their assertations.
If this breakthrough is successful, then it may give hope to all people like my partner that their suffering might one day be over, and that they can start living their lives just as everyone else does.
I for one will be keeping a close watch on this, to see if there are any promising developments.

Roy.

Some of the genetic variations associated with schizophrenia appear to occur within a region of the genome known to be involved in controlling the immune system. This might help to explain why babies born in winter and spring when influenza is rife, or to women who have had flu during pregnancy, are at slightly increased risk of developing schizophrenia in later life, the scientists said.

This is an interesting piece of information that i wasn't aware of.


Hopefully this discovery will lead to a better method to treat these illnesses. and perhaps lead to a discovery of how to prevent the illness from happening in the first place.

Both illnesses ruin a person's life and are very hard on their family members also.

I know several people that have schizophrenia. One of them was very good about taking his meds and was fine when on them, but every once in a while they would need to readjust the dosage and we could always tell when it was time for that by his behaviour. Another would always go off his meds when summer rolled around, every summer he'd become very aggressive and dangerous to have in the neighborhood. We just worked out a plan with the police so that when we noticed he was off his meds we'd call them and they'd come take him to the hospital, he'd be back a few weeks later back on his meds and less of a danger.

Wierd thing is everyone that i know with schizophrenia are all males, they are all hispanic, they were all in a gang when teenagers, did drugs, and all of them went on to join the military, and all were diagnosed with schizophrenia shortly after leaving the military.

I've always wondered if there was a common factor that they all shared, if there are certain ethnicities, or genders that are predisposed to developing schizophrenia ? Did it have something to do with the military, the drugs, etc ? It looks as if they may find an answer soon.


Edit because i forgot link....

www.independent.co.uk...

[edit on 7/2/2009 by chise61]

A woman i know, was daignosed with paranoid schizophrenia. I was talking with her about it few weeks ago. She is on meds, the meds gave her weight gain, as a side effect. SHe didnt say anyting about hearing voices and all that, at least in her case of it. We used to work together.and when she was hired, 10 years ago, she would allways stare at me at work, with stars in her eyes, like iw as gods gift to women. I was not attarcted at all to her. Often, ide find cards on my windshiled, a few times shed leaves a rose..so aas a freind at work, we exhanged numbers and all, hung out a few times. Shes cool to be around.except...hse is knida obsessive too. Shed call me like 7 to 9 times a day, drive pat my house 5 or 6 times 2 or 3 nihgts a week...constantly bringing up up hooking up together in a sugegstive phrase.... she gets really annoying... she seesm mroe concerned abuot being friends and 'hooking up' with me, than anyting else.