The genetic relationship of bipolar disorder (BD) in Han Chinese individuals isn’t well understood. A recently conducted study discovered several novel risk loci for BD in Han Chinese individuals, but more research on the matter is needed. This study aims to explore the genetic basis of BD in the Han Chinese population.
This genome-wide association study (GWAS) included a total of 1,822 individuals with BD, diagnosed based on the DSM-IV criteria. The eligible participants had no history of mental retardation, schizophrenia, or substance dependence. A total of 4,650 control participants were also included in the study. The primary outcomes of the study were single-nucleotide variations considered to show the genome-wide significance of the statistical association.
The findings suggested that a novel BD risk locus was found near the gene encoding transmembrane protein 108 in the participants. The protein is needed for dendritic spine development and the transmission of glutamatergic in the dentate gyrus. Polygenetic risk score analysis and trans-ancestry genetic correlation estimation showed evidence of shared BD risk between European and Han Chinese nationalities.
The research concluded that the GWAS study recognized various loci and genes that were involved in the heritable risk of bipolar disorder in the Han Chinese population.
Ref: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/2773733?resultClick=1
