Genetic linkage study for bipolar disorders on chromosomes 17 and 18 in families with a high expression of mental illness from the Balearic Islands.

Genetically, bipolar disorder is a complex genetic illness, in which both genes and environmental factors play an important role in pathogenesis. Linkage studies have reported suggestive evidence for genomic regions, especially on chromosome 18, but in most cases they have been inconclusive. A total of 12 pedigrees, from the islands of Majorca and Minorca (Balearic Archipelago), with a high expression of mental illness, have been studied.

High (20-Hz) and low (1-Hz) frequency transcranial magnetic stimulation as adjuvant treatment in medication-resistant depression.

Studies of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in depression have found antidepressant effects when high frequency stimulation (HF-rTMS; >1 Hz) is applied over the left prefrontal cortex (LPF). A few studies have also reported success with low frequency stimulation (LF-rTMS) to the right prefrontal cortex (RPF). Both HF-rTMS and LF-rTMS have been reported to work better in areas with cerebral hypometabolism or hypermetabolism, respectively.