DNA Research Roundup: Fragile X Premutation, Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder and Major Psychosis all related to DNA misprocessing

Thursday, May 29th, 2008

Albert Bierstadt, Lake Tahoe, Spearfishing by Torchlight (1867)
I’ve wondered why the meanest relatives live the longest , and pointed to some DNA trinuclotide repeat disorders that have psychiatric aspects — like machiavellianism or just meanness . So here’s more on that: Fragile X premutation, schizophrenia, biopolar and major psychosis are all related to [...]

Anger management: Dopamine Receptor Allele and Nuclear Receptor Genes Are Associated with Anger and Aggression

Sunday, February 10th, 2008

Everyone knows someone whose “default” emotion is anger. They are like a one-trick pony, they are sad, so they express anger. They are scared, so they act angry. They are frustrated, so they are angry. When in children, it is painful to watch. When in adults, it is scary.

World’s Most Dysfunctional Inspirational Poster [...]

Why Dr. Kaczynski may believe there’s nothing wrong with him (anosognosia)

Monday, February 4th, 2008

Theodore Kaczynski
Even though he was holed up in a backwoods cabin containing piles of his feces, writing a manifesto against technological society, in moldy pants he had worn constantly for a year, Dr. Kaczynski was entirely unaware of his mental illness. In fact, he refused treatment of any sort over the better part of his [...]

Daylight savings time ends November 4 unless you have CLOCK gene polymorphism rs1801260

Monday, October 22nd, 2007

For 2007, November 4 is when we (in the US ) set our clocks back an hour so we get an extra hour sleep. But, whether or not you actually go to sleep is another matter. One genetic polymorphism correlates with being a “night owl” as well as other conditions.

As far as standard time, [...]

Abuse x genes = “pronounced psychopathological manifestations”

Saturday, October 13th, 2007

Nature, nurture, nature, nurture.
Nature x nurture is really the thing. If you are genetically loaded, and your mother drank while pregnant with you, or had genital herpes while pregnant with you, or if you were abused after you were born, your behavior will be more extreme than if you just had the genes or [...]

Neurological Correlates: Going on Anti-Depressants and Thinking “I’d rather be dead”

Saturday, September 29th, 2007

Cruickshank, George, “Suicide”
“A young woman has jumped from a bridge; two onlookers are standing on the bridge in upper right corner; ship masts are visible in lower left beneath the arch of the bridge through which shines a full moon.”
Regarding suicide - from the US CDC:
• Among young adults ages 15 to 24 years [...]