MTHFR Variations Linked to Mental Health Disorders
Posted October 14, 2007 by Dr. T.R. Morris
The Gilbody Study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology last January found that the MTHFR C677T variant was associated with an increased risk of developing not only schizophrenia but also depression and bipolar disorder.
For those of you without biochemistry backgrounds, MTHFR is shorthand for the enzyme Methylenetetrahydrofolate-reductasean enzyme that helps the body recycle the B-vitamin folic acid and process the metabolic waste product homocysteine. The C677T variant is a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP or SNiP) where gene that codes for the MTHFR has a base substitution in the DNA at position 677 where cytosine is replaced with thymidine. The result is more fragile enzyme which causes decreased activity and predisposes the subject to having low levels of the folic acid and high levels of homocysteine which itself is associated with heart disease. Of note is that the Gilbody Study specifically mentioned the possibility of using folic acid in the treatment and prevention of the associated mental health disorders. Exciting stuff!
It is also important to note that having this genetic variation does not mean that one will necessarily develop mental illness. These conditions are well known to have highly multifactorial causes, and there are many more examples of people with these genetic variations without the disorders than those with the disorders. In an ideal world, diagnosis of these MTHFR variants will enable environmental, behavioral and nutritional interventions that can not only assist in the treatment of these mental health disorders, but also help prevent susceptible patients from developing them in the first place.
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March 24th, 2010 @ 9:03 pm
Спасибо …
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April 12th, 2010 @ 3:37 am
Извините, что не могу сейчас поучаствовать в дискуссии - нет свободного времени. Вернусь - обязательно выскажу своё мнение по этому вопро…
официант ……
April 12th, 2010 @ 7:42 am
слишком мило)))…
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