BACKGROUND: Although the genetic risk to develop bipolar disorder is present from conception, the first frank symptoms of the illness generally become evident in late adolescence or early adulthood. However, except for pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD), it is still unclear when the first signs of the illness in adults become apparent and whether these are related to the genetic risk to develop bipolar disorder. This study examined whether underperformance at school precedes the onset of the illness and is a genetically related risk marker for developing bipolar disorder. METHODS: Information on school performance was obtained using objective archival data from 53 bipolar twin pairs (24 monozygotic (MZ), 29 dizygotic (DZ)) and 42 healthy matched control twin pairs (23 MZ, 19 DZ). RESULTS: Affected twin pairs completed significantly fewer years of education than did control twin pairs with no difference between bipolar patients and their non-bipolar cotwins. The underperformance at school in the affected twin pairs occurred in early adolescence at a significantly younger age than the control twin pairs and preceded the onset of the first frank episode of bipolar disorder by thirteen years. Median age at onset of underperformance was not different in the patients and their non-bipolar cotwins. The association between liability of bipolar disease and age of first underperformance was significant and could be explained by genetic factors. LIMITATIONS: The sample is not a population based twin sample. CONCLUSION: Underperformance at school during early adolescence may be a genetic marker for the vulnerability to develop bipolar disorder.
BACKGROUND: Although the genetic risk to develop bipolar disorder is present from conception, the first frank symptoms of the illness generally become evident in late adolescence or early adulthood. However, except for pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD), it is still unclear when the first signs of the illness in adults become apparent and whether these are related to the genetic risk to develop bipolar disorder. This study examined whether underperformance at school precedes the onset of the illness and is a genetically related risk marker for developing bipolar disorder. METHODS: Information on school performance was obtained using objective archival data from 53 bipolar twin pairs (24 monozygotic (MZ), 29 dizygotic (DZ)) and 42 healthy matched control twin pairs (23 MZ, 19 DZ). RESULTS: Affected twin pairs completed significantly fewer years of education than did control twin pairs with no difference between bipolar patients and their non-bipolar cotwins. The underperformance at school in the affected twin pairs occurred in early adolescence at a significantly younger age than the control twin pairs and preceded the onset of the first frank episode of bipolar disorder by thirteen years. Median age at onset of underperformance was not different in the patients and their non-bipolar cotwins. The association between liability of bipolar disease and age of first underperformance was significant and could be explained by genetic factors. LIMITATIONS: The sample is not a population based twin sample. CONCLUSION: Underperformance at school during early adolescence may be a genetic marker for the vulnerability to develop bipolar disorder.
Authors: A Vreeker; M P M Boks; L Abramovic; S Verkooijen; A H van Bergen; M H J Hillegers; A T Spijker; E Hoencamp; E J Regeer; R F Riemersma-Van der Lek; A W M M Stevens; P F J Schulte; R Vonk; R Hoekstra; N J M van Beveren; R W Kupka; R M Brouwer; C E Bearden; J H MacCabe; R A Ophoff Journal: Psychol Med Date: 2015-12-01 Impact factor: 7.723
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Authors: Sonja M C de Zwarte; Rachel M Brouwer; Ingrid Agartz; Martin Alda; André Aleman; Kathryn I Alpert; Carrie E Bearden; Alessandro Bertolino; Catherine Bois; Aurora Bonvino; Elvira Bramon; Elizabeth E L Buimer; Wiepke Cahn; Dara M Cannon; Tyrone D Cannon; Xavier Caseras; Josefina Castro-Fornieles; Qiang Chen; Yoonho Chung; Elena De la Serna; Annabella Di Giorgio; Gaelle E Doucet; Mehmet Cagdas Eker; Susanne Erk; Scott C Fears; Sonya F Foley; Sophia Frangou; Andrew Frankland; Janice M Fullerton; David C Glahn; Vina M Goghari; Aaron L Goldman; Ali Saffet Gonul; Oliver Gruber; Lieuwe de Haan; Tomas Hajek; Emma L Hawkins; Andreas Heinz; Manon H J Hillegers; Hilleke E Hulshoff Pol; Christina M Hultman; Martin Ingvar; Viktoria Johansson; Erik G Jönsson; Fergus Kane; Matthew J Kempton; Marinka M G Koenis; Miloslav Kopecek; Lydia Krabbendam; Bernd Krämer; Stephen M Lawrie; Rhoshel K Lenroot; Machteld Marcelis; Jan-Bernard C Marsman; Venkata S Mattay; Colm McDonald; Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg; Stijn Michielse; Philip B Mitchell; Dolores Moreno; Robin M Murray; Benson Mwangi; Pablo Najt; Emma Neilson; Jason Newport; Jim van Os; Bronwyn Overs; Aysegul Ozerdem; Marco M Picchioni; Anja Richter; Gloria Roberts; Aybala Saricicek Aydogan; Peter R Schofield; Fatma Simsek; Jair C Soares; Gisela Sugranyes; Timothea Toulopoulou; Giulia Tronchin; Henrik Walter; Lei Wang; Daniel R Weinberger; Heather C Whalley; Nefize Yalin; Ole A Andreassen; Christopher R K Ching; Theo G M van Erp; Jessica A Turner; Neda Jahanshad; Paul M Thompson; René S Kahn; Neeltje E M van Haren Journal: Biol Psychiatry Date: 2019-06-13 Impact factor: 13.382
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