Recent developments in molecular genetics are examined with particular reference to psychiatry. the new technologies available have allowed significant advances in the understanding of certain illnesses such as familial Alzheimer's disease and Huntington's chorea, and will provide powerful tools to explore many other important psychiatric illnesses. the area of genetic counselling is already characterized by complex ethical issues. We can expect that as the new technologies provide the prospect of positive germ line genetic engineering, these ethical issues will become more complex. It is important that psychiatrists prepare themselves for these future developments and take an active role in leading the debate.
References
1.
PichotP. A century of psychiatry. Paris: Editions Roger Dacosta, 1983
2.
KraepelinE. Manic-depressive insanity and paranoia, translation of Lehrbuch der psychiatrie. 8th ed.Edinburgh: R. M. Livingston, 1921
3.
RosenbergRN. Molecular genetics, recombinant DNA techniques, and genetic neurological disease. Annals of Neurology1987; 15: 511–520
4.
Editorial. Molecular neurobiology and psychiatry. Lancet1983; 2: 85
5.
MartinJB. Molecular genetics: Applications to the clinical neurosciences. Science1987; 238: 765–772
6.
RobertsonM. Huntington's chorea. The beginning of the end of a dilemma?Nature1983; 306: 222
7.
WhiteRLalouelJ. Chromosome mapping with DNA markers. Scientific American1988; 258: 20–28
8.
GusellaJFWexlerNSConnealyPM. A polymorphic DNA marker genetically linked to Huntington's chorea. Nature1983; 306: 234–238
9.
GoldgaberDLerrnanMIMcBrideW. Characterization and chromosomal localization of a cDNA encoding brain amyloid of Alzheimer's disease. Science1987; 235: 877–880
10.
George-HyslopSt PHTanziREPolinskyRJ. The genetic defect causing familial Alzheimer's disease maps on chromosome 21Science1987; 235:885–890
11.
EgelandJAGerhardDSPaulsDL. Bipolar affective disorders linked to DNA markers on chromosome 11Nature1987; 325: 783–787
12.
MendlewiczJSimonPSevyS. Polymorphic DNA marker on X chromosome and manic-depression. Lancet1987; 1: 1230–1232
13.
MitchellPWatersB. Molecular biology and functional psychoses. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry1987; 21: 415–418
14.
MazarakisNDShiwachRSBatesPACCurlingHMD. The retrovirus theory of schizophrenia. In: ShagassCJosiassenRCBridgerWHWeissKJStoffDSimsonGM eds. Biological psychiatry 1985. New York: Elsevier Science, 1986: 70–72
15.
de LisiLECrowTJHirschSR. The third biannual winter workshop on schizophrenia. Archives of General Psychiatry1986; 43:706–711
16.
FederJGurlingHMDarbyJ. DNA restriction fragment analysis of the proopiomelanocortin gene in schizophrenia and bipolar disorders. American Journal of Human Genetics1985; 37: 286–294
17.
SherringtonRBrynjolfssonJPeturssonH. Localization of a susceptibility locus for schizophrenia on chromosome 5Nature1988; 336: 164–167
18.
KennedyJIGuiffraLAMoisesHW. Evidence against linkage of schizophrenia to markers on chromosome 5 in a northern Swedish pedigree. Nature1988; 336: 167–170
