INCLUSION AND EXCLUSION CRITERIA:
The major goal of this project is to collect a sample of affected sibling pairs and cases with familial bipolar disorder, and to use this sample, along with control samples independently available, to identify vulnerability genes for bipolar disorder.
For the Consortium collection, the DSM-IV diagnosis of BPI is our definition of affected status. It is anticipated that a small number (less than 5%) of subjects ascertained as BPI is judged at the time of best estimate to have another diagnosis (primarily BPII, SA (BP) or organic mood disorder) and they are flagged in the dataset so as not to include them in primary analyses.
For the CHIP collection, we will screen families of treated BP I probands who by family history have at least 2 other siblings with recurrent major mood disorders including BP I, BP II, recurrent major depression, or schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type. This strategy has allowed us to include in our sample the full range of natural clinical variation associated with BPD.
Probands are recruited from a broad range of sources, including clinic populations, inpatient admissions, patient advocacy groups, and the public media. Prospective probands are asked to provide information about themselves and their first-degree relatives, using the screening and checklist questions for mood disorders contained in the FIGS. All probands aged 21 or over who can provide informed consent for interview and phlebotomy are enrolled.
Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center (CC)