Linkage of bipolar (BP) illness with chromosome 18 markers located at
18p11 was recently reported, A possible role for chromosome 18 in the
etiology of BP illness was implicated previously by the finding in thr
ee unrelated patients of a ring chromosome with breakpoints and delete
d segments at 18pter-p11 and 18q23-qter. To test the potential importa
nce of a gene defect on chromosome 18 in our material, we examined lin
kage with chromosome 18 markers in two families with multiple patients
with BP illness or BP spectrum disorders, Fourteen simple tandem repe
at polymorphisms were used located in the chromosomal region 18p11 to
18q23 and separated by distances of approximately 10 cM on the genetic
map. In one family linkage to chromosome 18 could not be excluded Lin
kage and segregation analysis in the family suggests that the 12-cM re
gion between D18S51 and D18S61 located at 18q21.33-q23 may contain a c
andidate gene for BP illness.