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Bipolar disorder gene discovered

SAN DIEGO, June 17 (UPI) -- Researchers at the University of California-San Diego say they have identified the gene believed responsible for some bipolar disorders.

The study, published in the June 16 issue of the journal Molecular Psychiatry, indicates a mutation in a gene that regulates sensitivity to brain neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, causes bipolar disorder in as many as 10 percent of bipolar cases.

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Researchers told Science Daily magazine they hypothesize the mutation causes an individual to become hypersensitive to dopamine, leading to the mood extremes that characterize bipolar disorder, formerly called manic-depression.

A complex and variable illness, bipolar disorder is believed caused by multiple genes. Although previous research suggested candidate genes or general DNA regions where faulty genes may reside, UCSD says its study is the first to pinpoint a precise gene involved in the disease.

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