The present invention is directed to methods of detecting the presence of a
bipolar mood disorder susceptibility locus in an individual, comprising
analyzing a sample of DNA for the presence of a DNA polymorphism on the
short arm of chromosome 18 between the telomere and D18S481, wherein the
DNA polymorphism is associated with a form of bipolar mood disorder. The
invention for the first time provides strong evidence of a susceptibility
gene for bipolar mood disorder that is located in the terminal 5 cM region
of the short arm of chromosome 18. The disclosure describes the use of
linkage analysis and genetic markers in this 5 cM region to fine map the
region and the use of genetic markers to genetically diagnose (genotype)
bipolar mood disorder in individuals, to confirm phenotypic diagnoses of
bipolar mood disorder, to determine appropriate treatments for patients
with particular genotypic subtypes. Isolated polynucleotides useful for
genetic linkage analysis of BP-I and methods for obtaining such isolated
polynucleotides are also described.
