Family History, Neurochemical imbalances

September 2, 2006

Hi all,

I am finding the brief family histories fascinating. In my real job, I am

responsible for the Cancer Genetics Program. If a person has a strong family

history, and the incidence of disease in the family appears higher than

anticipated AND the genetics testing still comes back negative, the usual

response is that we haven't identified a genetic predisposition, but it doesn't

mean that there isn't one. The scientific community is in the very beginning

stages of understanding the complexity of genetics and any disease.

That said, in my maternal family, we have had suicide, depression, bipolar

disease, ADHD, alcoholism, addictive behaviors, dementia (great grandmother and

grandfather and now Mom) Given all these diagnosed and documented conditions

have a common theme, I am convinced that there is genetic predisposition in all

of these disorders.

Mom was severely depressed (in retrospect) for a long period of time. The

" treatment " was Valium, which doesn't affect the imbalance of neurochemicals.

Until my generation, no one in my Mom's family sought medical treatment for

these psychiatric conditions. Now I wonder how untreated psych issues

(long-standing imbalances of neurotransmitters in the brain) impact the

expression of LBD.

Just a thought, and not looking forward to any answers.

Dodie

(Mom, 71. Dxed with LBD 3/06 after brain surgery. Dad, 81, died 2/06 of

pancreatic CA. Knew Mom wasn't " right " , but thought it was psychiatric. Now

wonder how long (and what toll) the LBD took on my Dad.)

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