Gene Found for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

**guest2** · 10-23-2003, 07:00 PM

I just read this and thought I'd pass it along. My family has a long history of alcoholism and drug abuse and also OCD. I suffer from a mild case of OCD and have to work very hard to try and overcome it. Most people that know me have no clue that I have it because I hide it well and pray alot. My immediate family knows though and they are great at helping me through it. I think it's great that they are identifying what causes these illnesses because it gets us that much closer to a cure!

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. and Japanese researchers said on Thursday they had found a genetic mutation that causes obsessive-compulsive disorder and other mental illnesses and said some patients had a second mutation that made their conditions worse.

The rare finding could make it easier to discover good treatments for the disorder, one of the top 10 leading causes of disability worldwide.

Dr. Norio Ozaki of Fujita Health University School of Medicine in Toyoake, Japan and colleagues at several U.S. institutions -- including the University of Pittsburgh and Yale University -- worked on the study, published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.

The gene is called the human serotonin transporter gene, hSERT, and helps control how the body uses serotonin, a message-carrying chemical or neurotransmitter linked with mood.

Some anxiety drugs and antidepressants target serotonin, but the researchers said patients with the mutations are not helped by these drugs.

"In all of molecular medicine, there are few known instances where two variants within one gene have been found to alter the expression and regulation of the gene in a way that appears associated with symptoms of a disorder," said Dr. Dennis Murphy of the National Institute of Mental Health, who worked on the study.

The researchers analyzed DNA from 170 people, including 30 patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), 30 with eating disorders such as anorexia and 30 with seasonal affective disorder -- which can cause depression and other symptoms in dark winter months.

They also looked at the DNA of 80 healthy people.

A specific mutation in the hSERT gene was seen in two patients with OCD and their families, but not in other patients.

With such a rare mutation showing up, the researchers believe it is likely to be found in other families with OCD and related disorders.

They interviewed relatives of the patients and found 6 of the 7 people with the mutation had an obsessive-compulsive disorder, and some also had anorexia, Asperger's syndrome, which is a form of autism, social phobia or were abusers of alcohol.

A second mutation was found in hSERT in two patients, giving them a "double dose." The patients and their siblings had especially difficult to treat versions of OCD, the researchers said.

**Heather** · 10-23-2003, 08:13 PM

I read this earlier and hope and pray they come up with something to help with this disorder.

Debbie, hugs and prayers for you in helping to deal with OCD.

**guest2** · 10-23-2003, 08:26 PM

Thanks Heather. My case is very mild compared to many people and I don't have to take meds for it. I can usually control it through prayer and a change of scenary!

**Dixie** · 10-23-2003, 10:51 PM

Interesting article. I remember reading a while back that OCD was found in some kids after they suffered from Strep Throat.

One of my ds sufferes from mild OCD. It doesn't affect his life too much. He told me the other day, he's OCD with his checkbook. He has to balance three times, before he stops. It *has* to be three times. When he was younger, he *hated* odd numbers. I've heard a lot of people with OCD have a "thing" with numbers.
When I was a child, I had a hand washing compulsion. My parents didn't take me to a Dr., but I think it was a very mild form of OCD.

**Shell** · 10-23-2003, 11:13 PM

Wow! You described a lot of people in my family. There is drinking, depression, bi-polar etc. I have being teased about ocd when I starting cleaning too much. Hmmmmmmm. (since the baby came the house is NEVER clean)

**lucy979** · 10-24-2003, 03:42 AM

I have a friend with this. I hope they find a way to help.

**Shell** · 10-24-2003, 02:15 PM

I also have a relative that has to count a certain number of things. For example odd bites or how many times she turns a light on etc. I think that gene MUST be in my family.