Mechanisms of action of medicines for schizophrenia and bipolar illness: status and limitations

Biological Psychiatry
Edward M Scolnick

Abstract

This paper is not a comprehensive review of the literature. Rather, it is a viewpoint based upon advances in other fields of medicine and genetics that may provide a model for guiding research in psychiatry. The paper discusses the major limitations of the medicines currently used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar illness. The limitations in our understanding of the molecular causes of these two illnesses and our lack of a clear mechanism of action for many of the medicines used to treat them continue to confound the field and impede progress towards finding novel treatments. Until the genetic bases of bipolar illness and schizophrenia are unambiguously identified, progress towards improved diagnosis and treatment will be retarded. An approach to identifying risk genes based upon association studies starting with very large sample sizes based upon currently available diagnoses of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia is advocated.

References

Jan 1, 1990·Schizophrenia Bulletin·W M Turner, M T Tsuang
Apr 1, 1989·In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology : Journal of the Tissue Culture Association·J Black
Sep 13, 1996·Science·N Risch, K Merikangas
Mar 1, 2000·The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry·M A FryeR M Post
May 18, 2000·Human Molecular Genetics·J K MillarD J Porteous
Mar 10, 2001·Nature·R SachidanandamUNKNOWN International SNP Map Working Group
Jun 8, 2001·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·M F EganD R Weinberger
Jan 31, 2002·Trends in Genetics : TIG·Paweł Stankiewicz, James R Lupski
Jun 5, 2002·Archives of General Psychiatry·Lewis L JuddMartin B Keller
Mar 5, 2003·Trends in Genetics : TIG·Lon R Cardon, Gonçalo R Abecasis
Apr 29, 2003·The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry·Joseph R CalabreseKaren D Wagner
May 15, 2003·Journal of Medical Genetics·D KamnasaranD W Cox
Sep 18, 2003·Trends in Molecular Medicine·Giuseppe Novelli, Maria Rosaria D'Apice
Feb 7, 2004·Human Molecular Genetics·Christine J Shaw, James R Lupski
May 28, 2004·Nature·Christopher S CarlsonDeborah A Nickerson
Jul 28, 2004·Trends in Pharmacological Sciences·Robert J Lefkowitz
Sep 7, 2004·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Claudia Erbel-SielerSteven L McKnight
Oct 14, 2004·Clinical Genetics·R L Pollex, R A Hegele
Oct 23, 2004·Science·Frederick H WilsonRichard P Lifton
Dec 8, 2004·Brain Research. Molecular Brain Research·Maria Karayiorgou, Joseph A Gogos
Feb 18, 2005·Nature Reviews. Genetics·Joel N Hirschhorn, Mark J Daly
Mar 12, 2005·Science·Albert O EdwardsLindsay A Farrer
Mar 12, 2005·Science·Robert J KleinJosephine Hoh
Apr 15, 2005·Mutation Research·Christopher Newton-Cheh, Joel N Hirschhorn
Jun 1, 2005·American Journal of Medical Genetics. Part B, Neuropsychiatric Genetics : the Official Publication of the International Society of Psychiatric Genetics·Ben S PickardW J Muir
Aug 2, 2005·Nature·Marcel MarguliesJonathan M Rothberg
Oct 29, 2005·Nature·UNKNOWN International HapMap Consortium
Jan 3, 2006·The British Journal of Psychiatry : the Journal of Mental Science·Elaine K GreenNick Craddock
Feb 18, 2006·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Hiroko KoikeJoseph A Gogos

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Jan 11, 2008·Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology·Rima Kaddurah-DaoukRichard M Weinshilboum
Oct 4, 2006·Neuron·P Alexander Arguello, Joseph A Gogos
Apr 28, 2009·Nature·Christopher A Ross, Russell L Margolis
Apr 19, 2007·Molecular Psychiatry·R Kaddurah-DaoukK R R Krishnan
Dec 6, 2006·Molecular Psychiatry·T J RaedlerB Dean

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is characterized by manic and/or depressive episodes and associated with uncommon shifts in mood, activity levels, and energy. Discover the latest research this illness here.

Antipsychotic Drugs

Antipsychotic drugs are a class of medication primarily used to manage psychosis (including delusions, hallucinations, paranoia or disordered thought), principally in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Discover the latest research on antipsychotic drugs here