Genetic and environmental influences on the brain, the immunesystem and gene expression in bipolar twin pairs - a cross-sectional and longitudinal study

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: Completed

Sex: Not specified

Target Recruitment: 420

Inclusion Criteria

Study A+B (longitudinal):
participation at baseline;Study A+B+C+D (cross-sectional)
New bipolar twin pairs
1) Part of a monozygotic or dizygotic twin pair
2) At least one twin has a diagnoses (life time) of Bipolar Disorder I or Bipolar Disorder II (DSM-IV criteria)
3) No history of drug or alcohol dependency (DSM-IV criteria) for the last half year
4) No history of Cognitive Disorder (DSM-IV criteria)
5) No history of serious neurological illness
6) No severe medical illness
7) Age between 18 and 60 years;New healthy control twin pairs
1) Part of a monozygotic or dizygotic twin pair
2) No history of axis I psychiatric disorder (DSM-IV criteria), on the basis of a SCID interview (Modules A-G)
3) No history of axis II personality disorder (DSM-IV criteria), on the basis of SIDP-V
4) No first degree relative with a history of specific axis I psychiatric disorder (DSM-IV criteria), on the basis of a FIGS interview
5) No history of drug or alcohol dependency (DSM-IV criteria) for the last half year
6) No history of serious neurological illness
7) No severe medical illness
8) Age between 18 and 60 years;Siblings
1) full sibling of an included twin pair
2) No history of axis I psychiatric disorder (DSM-IV criteria), on the basis of a SCID interview (Modules A-G)
3) No history of axis II personality disorder (DSM-IV criteria), on the basis of SIDP-V
4) No history of drug or alcohol dependency (DSM-IV criteria) for the last half year
5) No history of serious neurological illness
6) No severe medical illness
7) Age between 18 and 60 years

Exclusion Criteria

Did not give written informed consent
2) Ferrous objects in or around the body (e.g. braces, glasses, pacemaker, metal fragments)
3) Drug or alcohol abuse over a period of six months prior to the experiment
4) History of closed-head injury
5) History of neurological illness or endocrinological dysfunction
6) Claustrophobia

Study & Design

Study Type: Observational invasive

Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
<p>Study A: Change in brain volume (sMRI) or gray/white matter density (Voxelbased<br /><br>morphometry)<br /><br>Study B: Change in immunology parameters<br /><br>Study C: Fractional anisotropy and magnetisation transfer ratio<br /><br>Study D: Genotype and gene expression data<br /><br>All studies: Baseline values or parameters which might intervene with the main<br /><br>study parameter (age, gender, years of education, symptoms, level of<br /><br>functioning, medication intake, life events)</p><br>

Secondary Outcome Measures