Researchers find new risk factor for two mental illness disorders in Ashkenazi genes

Israeli and American researchers investigating a healthy Ashkenazi Jewish population have identified a new genetic risk factor for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (manic-depression).

Ashkenazim represent a unique population for study because of their relatively short (less than 1,000-year) history and limited population. This history results in a more uniform genetic background in which to identify disease related variants.

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