oruc evaluation

Front

What was one strength of the study regarding participant assessment?

Back

All participants were carefully assessed to check that they reached the criteria for a diagnosis of bipolar disorder (type 1) by two experienced psychiatrists using a Croatian language version of the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Lifetime Version (SADS-L).

Front

Why is the careful assessment of participants important in diagnosing bipolar disorder?

Back

Bipolar disorder is difficult to diagnose due to overlaps with schizoaffective disorder and other mood disorders.

Front

What does replication of findings in research signify?

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Replication is an important hallmark of scientific research that strengthens the reliability of other studies.

Front

Which studies did Orucˇ et al. replicate regarding the 5-HTR2c receptor gene?

Back

Orucˇ et al. replicated the findings of Gutiérrez et al. (1996) and Kelsoe et al. (1996) regarding the 5-HTR2c receptor gene and the 5-HTT gene.

Front

What was a weakness of the study related to sample size?

Back

The small sample size meant there was not a good spread of people with different versions of the alleles of interest, which could overlook the importance of these genes.

Front

What ethical issues are presented in studies like Orucˇ et al. (1997)?

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Ethical issues include the importance of informed consent and confidentiality, as well as protecting participants from psychological harm.

Front

Why is informed consent important in psychological research?

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Participants must fully understand what the researchers are testing for and the implications of discovering they carry certain combinations of alleles.

Front

What is pharmacogenomics?

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Pharmacogenomics is the emerging field that aims to improve drug treatments by matching personalized drug therapies to a person's genome.

Front

How might understanding the genetic underpinning of bipolar disorder improve treatment?

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It may lead to personalized drug treatments that provide the most effective therapy for individuals with bipolar disorder.