Division of Psychiatry Division of Psychiatry
Research

Mood disorders

Mood disorder research at the Division of Psychiatry seeks to identify the environmental and genetic risk factors that underlie bipolar disorder, depression and related conditions (such as borderline personality disorder).

This work is conducted in both clinical and pre-clinical models, and in collaboration with colleagues from psychology, molecular medicine and neuroendocrinology.

We collaborate with others on the analysis of large cohorts where information has been gathered on mood related traits. This includes work in collaboration with Generation Scotland and with the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936.

Other examples of projects underway within the section include:

High risk and unaffected relatives studies (A McIntosh and J Sussmann)

We are currently conducting a large prospective study of people at high risk of bipolar and related disorders throughout Scotland. The study is referred to as the Bipolar Family Study.

Early environmental experience and mood disorder (J Hall)

Early life events are known to have a major impact on later risk for mood disorders.

We seek to identify the molecular, cellular and functional consequences of such stressful early life events to determine the long-term effects of pre-natal and post-natal stressors on later risk for mood disorders.

These translational studies use both pre-clinical and clinical methods including MRI imaging and molecular neurobiology approaches and involve close collaboration with the neuroendocrinology group at the Queen’s Medical Research Institute.

Studies of genetic risk factors (A McIntosh)

Using linkage analyses of multiply affected families, and large association studies of people affected by mood disorder, we have identified a number of replicated genetic risk factors such as GRIK4 and DISC1.

This work is ongoing and has been broadened to include genetic analyses of quantitative traits associated with these disorders. More information is available from the psychiatric genetics pages.

Contact

To hear more about our work, please contact Andrew McIntosh.

Andrew McIntosh
  • Professor Andrew M McIntosh
  • Chair of Biological Psychiatry
  • Division of Psychiatry
  • Work: 0131 537 6274
  • Fax: 0131 537 6291
Email:

This article was published on Oct 17, 2011


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