new genetic study

[norcalmom]

This is a little scary. Since I found this looking while doing research on calcium channels, which I was doing so I could learn more about Cm Kinase II - one of the Cunningham tests. I wonder if the genes are also related to other neuronal -autoimmune disorders - which there is alot of research linking calcium channels to as well.

 

http://theconversation.com/large-genetic-study-paves-way-for-new-treatment-of-mental-illness-12546

 

[filinha1]

Interesting, thanks!

[T_Mom]

Great find! Does anyone know what are the :

“We already have drugs that act on those mechanisms. .... drugs that manipulate calcium channels ......" ?

[nicklemama]

I think there is a blood pressure or heart drug that is a calcium channel blocker. I can't remember the name right now.

[EastBay_Mom]

There are multiple Calcium Channel Blockers used for Blood Pressure. They've been around for quite some time.

[pr40]

so they are no pursing the question if psychiatric disorder have biological basis. then, a different question will have to be asked, if all psychiatric disorders have the same origin. then, they will have to ask what part is played by the immune system.

If understand this at all, they are now there where Columbus was when he sailed West to find India. I.e., since is on the right track -- somewhere.

[LNN]

The full text article is available for free here http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2812%2962129-1/fulltext#tbl2 tho you may need to create an account first (takes 1 min). I didn't read the article in it's entirety yet (way over my head). But what they did is identify snps that seem to have a statistically significant appearance among those people who suffer from one of five mental disorders, schizophrenia, bipolar, depression, ADHD and autism. They conducted a meta-analysis - a review of multiple studies that had already been done on the genetics of these conditions.

 

They identified 14 snps in particular (table 2) and 4 that seemed of particular significance (table 1 - rs2535629, rs11191454, rs1024582 and rs2799573). The last two are on the calcium blocking genes CACNA1C and CACNB2. Two of these 4 snps are reported in 23andMe results. What the excitement seems to be is that 5 disorders that have been classified in the DSM as distinct disorders based on symptoms may instead share a common biological cause. It seems to be part of the emerging paradigm shift in how we think about mental illness and supports Tom Insel at the NIMH when he says the DSM is a faulty way to look at/treat at mental health. The study reveals snps that have nothing to do with calcium channels but I think the excitement was that some snps are associated with calcium channel blocking and we already have calcium blocking medications and perhaps these can be used to treat a biological glitch in the same way they treat heart disease. That perhaps they can be more effective at curing the root of the problem (in the same way taking methylfolate helps you bypass a genetic MTHFR roadblock) rather than using an SSRI or stimulant or whathaveyou to mask a symptom.

 

I didn't see anything mentioned in the paper about the immune system per se.

 

Ironically, of the snps that are in 23andMe, my kids were heterozygous (+/-) for the ones I found and I was hetero or homozygous. So I actually have a higher risk for schizophrenia/bipolar than they do - and yet as nutty as I am, I thankfully don't struggle with either disease. So it goes back to genes as raising your statistical risk rather than being destiny. Yet because of the link between this and heart disease, it does have me curious about switching my BP medication to one that's a calcium channel blocker....

 

Great find Norcalmom - thanks for posting!

Edited May 23, 2013 by LLM

[philamom]

I've been taking Verapamil (Calcium Channel Blocker) for 25+ years for Raynauds Disease. Diagnosed in my early 20's. I stop the med June- August since the weather is warmer.

[911RN]

Great find! Does anyone know what are the :

“We already have drugs that act on those mechanisms. .... drugs that manipulate calcium channels ......" ?

 

Many of the antiseizure mediations act on calcium channels in the brain. Some work on potassium channels, some on sodium channels and some on Calcium. Lamictal (on manufacturer site) states it acts upon sodium channels but other sources say it has calcium channel effect (as does our Neuro). I would wager an educated guess that these are more of the medications that this article is speaking to vs. the calcium channel blockers used for BP/cardiac conditions. Although, without more specifics (not given in article) it would be hard to say that the ones for BP would be not efective, as well???? It's hard to know without looking up all the drugs to see if they are more cardiac specific or neuro specific. May be related to blood brain barrier and how meds are designed to cross. Believe there might be different calcium channels...sorta like different histamine blockers. Have H1, H2 and H3 blockers. Works on different part of the histamine cascade. Thus, different organs have different responses. Can use Pecid- H2 blocker for allergies/allegeric reactions although it was designed to decrease too much stomach acid.

 

That's my 2 cent analysis

[norcalmom]

I have over the years seen a very small number of taking both statins and beta blockers for psych problems. I found a number of articles on both when I googled them. (ggole beta blockers and bipolar if interested. I think I've seen posts on the board here on it too. Not that I'm suggesting that for anyone.

 

Thanks LLM for the link to actual study, and for the info on the 3 and me. I've been on the fence about the 23 and me testing. I'll probably get it done, but I'm weighing it against the more complete genetic testing, not that I don't think its valuable - but I might want more than that small window.

 

It blows my mind how everything is connected. I'd like to know if those calcium channel genes are related to autoimmune disease as well - its probably not new enough to make a press release on since I think it is accepted that autoimmune disease has a common genetic component.

 

Possibilities of cause and effect seem endless. A saw George Chandy present, what appeared to be a miracle drug, last September in Irvine. His initial human studies for it were for treating MS, but he said that, it has potential to treat many different autoimmune diseases, they just picked MS as a start. Its a "partial" Potassium Channel Blocker - but I recall him talking about the calcium channel in his preso too - again - all related. They have completed the first round of human testing and are moving on to next phase. It appears that they moved quickly through testing and reported that they were happy with results. It isn't a "correct the cause" treatment, but would be much better than conventional treatments currently available for MS and RA (and others apparently). The pandas folks in the room asked if he would test some pandas sera- he has a method/test to identify if the functions of the channel ions are out of whack (which he had identified in several autoimmune diseases) and would thereby potentially benefit from his drug. He said he would, but who knows what the outcome of it was (or if it was ever done...). From what I recall, his tests showed cells function in MS and RA (and maybe Lupus - can't remember but there were 3 or so diseases) and the cell function was 100's of time whatever the normal measurement was supposed to be. If pandas cells behave similarly, it would go a long way in proving that we are dealing with an autoimmune disease.

 

http://www.kinetabio.com/autoimmune.html

[T_Mom]

....Possibilities of cause and effect seem endless. A saw George Chandy present, what appeared to be a miracle drug, last September in Irvine. His initial human studies for it were for treating MS, but he said that, it has potential to treat many different autoimmune diseases, they just picked MS as a start. Its a "partial" Potassium Channel Blocker - but I recall him talking about the calcium channel in his preso too - again - all related. They have completed the first round of human testing and are moving on to next phase. It appears that they moved quickly through testing and reported that they were happy with results. It isn't a "correct the cause" treatment, but would be much better than conventional treatments currently available for MS and RA (and others apparently). The pandas folks in the room asked if he would test some pandas sera- he has a method/test to identify if the functions of the channel ions are out of whack (which he had identified in several autoimmune diseases) and would thereby potentially benefit from his drug. He said he would, but who knows what the outcome of it was (or if it was ever done...). From what I recall, his tests showed cells function in MS and RA (and maybe Lupus - can't remember but there were 3 or so diseases) and the cell function was 100's of time whatever the normal measurement was supposed to be. If pandas cells behave similarly, it would go a long way in proving that we are dealing with an autoimmune disease.

 

http://www.kinetabio.com/autoimmune.html

Oh my goodness Norcalmom, that description of the "wonder drug" sounds incredibly encouraging, and YES some of us need to send our kids' blood to this doctor--to see what he might make of it--

this is very interesting. IF anyone gets in touch with him, we would love to send in samples to be screened.

(and my youngest is in full raging OCD exacerbation--with tics, perfect time!)

[norcalmom]

I think the blood needs to come from known, verified pandas kids - from Swedo preferably. Of course, they may have already started to look at it, most of the researchers play their cards very close.

[T_Mom]

I think the blood needs to come from known, verified pandas kids - from Swedo preferably. Of course, they may have already started to look at it, most of the researchers play their cards very close.

 

I wonder if it went via Dr C.'s blood lab, and corresponding blood results -- tied to PANS indicators -- if there would be a correlation.