New genetic findings add to understanding of obsessive-compulsive disorder
Kara Gavin
July 26, 2006
ANN ARBOR, MI – Obsessive-compulsive disorder tends to run in families, causing members of several generations to experience severe anxiety and disturbing thoughts that they ease by repeating certain behaviors. In fact, close relatives of people with OCD are up to nine times more likely to develop OCD themselves.
The article goes on to explain that there is an association between OCD patients and a glutamate transporter gene, SLC1A1. They provide a (very) brief explanation of what glutamate does, and a brief overview of how the discovery came about. They also add a bit about anticipated future research. Those additional bits of information put the current studies in context.
Most importantly, though, the article does not overemphasize the importance of the current findings:
While the new findings are exciting because they strengthen the evidence for glutamate’s role in OCD vulnerability, the researchers caution that more work needs to be done before their discovery has any impact on OCD treatment.
Of course, from a clinical standpoint, the reason the research is important is that it could eventually lead to some kind of improved treatment, or at least a different treatment option. But that is so far off, that it would be premature to suggest that as a possibility. Rather, it is more appropriate to focus on the excitement of reaching a milestone, of sorts. There have been dozens of news reports about genetic findings in various psychiatric conditions, but I don't think any of them has led to any kind of treatment.
One reason that it is important for the public to hear about studies on psychiatric genetics is that it helps to reinforce the concept of a biological basis for many psychiatric conditions. However, it is equally important to not overemphasize the role of genetic factors. There probably are not any psychiatric conditions that are caused by a single gene or single mutation. If it were that simple, psychiatrists would leave it to internists to treat.
Again, putting the study in context, they note:
In a commentary published in the same issue of the journal, two Yale University researchers call the new findings promising, and call for additional research. “These data add to a growing body of work that suggest that SLC1A1 is perhaps a primary candidate gene for OCD,” they write.
It is important for the public to appreciate the fact, that very few studies mean very much on their own. Rather, they are important because they contribute to a larger body of knowledge.
The new findings are especially important not only because of the simultaneous discoveries reported in the papers, but also because of previous studies that show a functional link between glutamate and OCD. Brain imaging and spinal fluid studies have shown differences in the glutamate system between OCD patients and healthy volunteers, including in areas of the brain where the EAAC1 protein is most common.
It is especially nice when multiple lines of evidence converge. It gives scientists that warm, fuzzy feeling all over.
Another nice feature of the news release is that they provide the reference for the papers they cite in text: Dickel et al, and Arnold et al, Archives of General Psychiatry, Vol 63, July 2006. pp 778-785 and pp 769-776. Commentary by Leckman and Kim, pp. 717-719. I've had the experience before, of reading these kinds of press releases, but being unable to find the paper they were talking about. Not only is that frustrating, it limits the usefulness of the press release.
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