Claims
- 1. A method of determining the susceptibility of a patient to a mood disorder comprising:
(a) obtaining a sample from a patient; and (b) testing the sample for the presence of a polymorphism in the promoter region of BDNF gene, wherein the presence of a polymorphism indicates that the patient is susceptible to a mood disorder.
- 2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the polymorphism is in the CA repeat of the promoter region.
- 3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the patient has the 170 bp allele 3 of the BDNF gene.
- 4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the mood disorder is a bipolar disorder.
- 5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the mood disorder is a unipolar disorder.
- 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sample is blood.
- 7. A method according to claim 1 wherein step (b) comprises (i) extracting nucleic acids comprising the promoter region of the BDNF gene, or a portion thereof, from the sample; (ii) amplifying the extracted nucleic acids comprising the promoter region of the BDNF gene, or portion thereof, using polymerase chain reaction (PCR); (iii) performing electrophoresis of the PCR products; and (iv) determining the presence of a polymorphism in the promoter region.
- 8. A method according to claim 1 wherein step (b) comprisies
(i) extracting nucleic acids comprising the promoter region of the BDNF gene, or portion thereof, from the sample; (ii) sequencing the nucleic acids comprising the promoter region of the BDNF gene, or portion thereof; and (iii) determining the presence of a polymorphism in the promoter region of the BDNF gene.
- 9. A method of diagnosing a mood disorder in a patient by analyzing for a presence of a polymorphism in the promoter region of the BDNF gene in a biological sample obtained from the patient.
- 10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the presence of a polymorphism in the promoter region of the BDNF gene, indicates a likelihood that the patient is suffering from a mood disorder.
- 11. A method of determining if a patient will have increased symptomology associated with a mood disorder by analyzing for a presence of a polymorphism in the promoter region of the BDNF gene in a biological sample obtained from the patient.
- 12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the presence of a polymorphism in the promoter region of the BDNF gene, indicates a likelihood that the patient will have increased symptomology associated with a mood disorder.
- 13. A kit for determining the susceptibility of a patient to a mood disorder comprising (i) reagents for conducting a method according to claim 1 and (ii) instructions for its use.
- 14. A kit according to claim 13, wherein said reagents comprise nucleic acid primers for amplifying nucleic acids comprising the promoter region of the BDNF gene, or a portion thereof, in a polymerase chain reaction.
- 15. A kit according to claim 14, wherein the reagents comprise nucleic acid primers for amplifying nucleic acids comprising the promoter region of the BDNF gene, or a portion thereof, in a polymerase chain reaction, DNA polymerase, dATP, dTTP, dCTP, dGTP and buffers.
- 16. A kit for diagnosing bipolar disorder in a patient comprising (i) reagents for conducting a method according to claim 9 and (ii) instructions for its use.
- 17. A kit for determining if a patient will have increased symptomology associated with bipolar disorder comprising (i) reagents for conducting a method according to claim 11 and (ii) instructions for its use.
- 18. A kit according to claim 16, wherein said reagents comprise nucleic acid primers for amplifying nucleic acids comprising the promoter region of the BDNF gene, or portion thereof, in a polymerase chain reaction.
- 19. A kit according to claim 17, wherein said reagents comprise nucleic acid primers for amplifying nucleic acids comprising the promoter region of the BDNF gene, or portion thereof, in a polymerase chain reaction.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application claims the benefit under 35 USC §119(e) from U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/316,024, filed Aug. 31, 2001.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60316024 |
Aug 2001 |
US |