GABAA receptor subunit genes as candidate genes for bipolar affective disorder—an association analysis

Abstract

Polymorphic DNA segments can be used as genetic markers to test for allelic association between a disease and a candidate gene locus. Here we report the results of a study of 60 unrelated bipolar patients in which we sought for evidence of association between bipolar affective disorder and alleles at two candidate genes (GABRA1 and GABRA3) involved in GABAergic neurotransmission. The data obtained were analysed in a number of ways. None of these produced conclusive evidence for association, although allele A6 at the GABRA1 locus was significant (p = 0.025) before correcting for multiple testing.