MOOD DISORDER SERVICE GENETIC DATABASE - MORBIDITY RISKS FOR MOOD DISORDERS IN 3,942 FIRST-DEGREE RELATIVES OF 671 INDEX CASES WITH SINGLE DEPRESSION, RECURRENT DEPRESSION, BIPOLAR-I, OR BIPOLAR-II

There is increasing evidence that genetic factors play a role in the e tiology of mood disorders. As a result, relatives of affected individu als are more often asking about their own risks to develop a mood diso rder. From 1988 to 1990, all consecutive, unrelated inpatients and out patients (index cases) presenting to the Mood Disorders Service, Depar tment of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, had detailed fami ly histories taken, thus creating the Mood Disorders Service Genetic D atabase. Diagnoses for index cases and their first-degree relatives we re made according to Research Diagnostic Criteria and Family History R esearch Diagnostic Criteria respectively. Morbidity risks for mood dis orders were calculated for first-degree relatives (parents, siblings, children-aged 10 and above) of all index cases with a diagnosis of sin gle depression, recurrent depression, bipolar I, or bipolar II disorde r. Morbidity risks were calculated using the maximum likelihood approa ch. Morbidity risk data are presented according to the sex and diagnos is for the index case in an easy reference format for risk counselling . The risks are presented twice, including and excluding data for ''hi gh-risk'' families whose genetic pedigree is suggestive of ''autosomal dominant'' inheritance. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.