Researchers discover genetic marker linked to OCD
Researchers discover genetic marker linked to OCD
May 20, 2014
Around
2.2 million people in the US are affected by obsessive-compulsive
disorder. It is unknown as to what causes the disorder, but researchers
from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, MD, say
they have uncovered a genetic marker that may provide clues.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a
psychiatric condition. It is characterized by intrusive and unwanted
anxiety-causing thoughts that trigger repetitive and ritualistic
behaviors in an attempt to overcome such thoughts.
For example, a person may have a
constant, irrational worry about germs or contamination; therefore they
feel the need to repeatedly wash their hands – sometimes for hours at a
time.
Mild forms of OCD can add up to an hour a
day to a person’s routine, while more severe forms of the condition can
disable a person so much that they are unable to leave their home.
There is no cure for OCD, but symptoms
can be managed through behavioral therapy and antidepressants, such as
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). However, it is
estimated that such treatment only works in 60-70% of cases.
But the Johns Hopkins researchers say
their latest findings, recently published in the journal Molecular
Psychiatry, may lead to a better understanding of the condition and new
therapies.
OCD patients ‘have an association near PTPRD gene’
For the study, led by Dr. Gerald Nestadt,
a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins, the
team analyzed the genomes of 1,406 people with OCD, more than 1,000
close relatives of people with the condition, as well as individuals
from the general public. In total, the genomes of 5,061 individuals were
scanned.
From this, the researchers found that
patients with OCD had a “significant association” on chromosome 9 near a
gene called protein tyrosine phosphokinase (PTPRD).
This discovery of this genetic marker is
of great importance, according to the researchers. They note that in
animal studies, the PTPRD gene has been associated with learning and
memory – areas that are influenced by OCD in humans.
The team says that the gene has also been
associated with some cases of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD) – a condition that has similar symptoms to OCD. In addition, the
PTPRD gene cooperates with another gene family called SLITRK, which has
been linked to OCD in animals.
Commenting on the team’s findings, Dr. Nestadt says:
“OCD research has lagged behind other
psychiatric disorders in terms of genetics. We hope this interesting
finding brings us closer to making better sense of it and helps us find
ways to treat it.”
Earlier this year, Medical News Today reported on a study suggesting that dogs could serve as a model of OCD in humans.
The researchers of this study found four
genes consistently linked to OCD in dog breeds susceptible to the
disease, such as Doberman pinschers and bull terriers.
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