Fashion show to increase awareness and support of bipolar disorder research

Fashion show to increase awareness and support of bipolar disorder research

The May 21^st event benefits the Prechter Research Fund at the University of Michigan Depression Center

 

Melvin McInnis & Wally Prechter

Meet the expert:  Melvin McInnis, M.D., Thomas B. and Nancy Upjohn Woodworth Professor of Bipolar Disorder and Depression in the Department of Psychiatry Learn more:  U-M Depression Center bipolar information  Prechter Bipolar Research Fund Download images

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Can’t buy a new yacht? No biggie. You can still get the fabulous lounge clothes.

 

Italian designer Gimmo Etro’s exotic print dresses and other fashions will be available for viewing at a runway show at Saks Fifth Avenue at Somerset Collection in Troy.

 

The runway show hopes to shine a spotlight on bipolar disorder, one of the most prevalent and least talked about mood disorders in the United States. It will also benefit the Heinz C. Prechter Bipolar Research Fund at the University of Michigan Depression Center. 

 

The show, which opens at 6:30 p.m. May 21, will include a reception and brief remarks about breakthrough bipolar disorder research conducted at the University of Michigan Depression Center. Funds raised in conjunction with this event will help advance critically needed research already underway at the Center.

 

“Research being conducted by the Prechter Bipolar Research team is helping us better understand bipolar disorder, find more effective treatments, and get us closer to a cure,” says Melvin McInnis, M.D., Thomas B. and Nancy Upjohn Woodworth Professor of Bipolar Disorder and Depression in the Department of Psychiatry. 

 

Research features a genetic repository where DNA samples from individuals with bipolar disorder and those unaffected by the disease are collected and studied. The DNA will be evaluated to find clues to early diagnosis and a “roadmap” to understanding causes and identify treatments, McInnis explains.

 

Saks Fifth Avenue will provide a glitzy evening of fashion and high style for guests. Their generous sponsorship, along with the iconic fashions provided by ETRO, has created the opportunity to raise awareness about bipolar disorder as well as funding for research.

 

"I would like to express my gratitude to Saks Fifth Avenue for supporting the work of the Heinz C. Prechter Bipolar Research Fund by hosting a Fashion Show,” says Waltraud “Wally” Prechter, founder of the Heinz C. Prechter Bipolar Research Fund. “The proceeds will benefit the Gene Repository, a one-of-a-kind project in our nation. I am delighted and hopeful that by combining fashions and fundraising, we will be able to accelerate research and understand this insidious illness."

 

Mrs. Prechter has worked tirelessly to promote the bipolar disorder cause since the death of her husband Heinz C. Prechter in 2001. Mr. Prechter was a successful and celebrated automotive executive and philanthropist who fell victim to suicide after suffering from bipolar disorder for most of his adult life.

 

Tickets for the event are $150 and sponsorships in the amounts of $1,000, $5,000 and $10,000 are also available. To learn more about the fashion show, please contact the Prechter Bipolar Research Fund at (734) 675-2200. For more general information about the Fund, please visitwww.prechterfund.org.

 

Facts about the Prechter Genetic Repository and the Heinz B. Prechter Bipolar Research Fund at the University of MichiganDepressionCenter:

• The fund has supported research at U-M, Stanford University and Cornell University.
• The repository has expanded with the addition of genetic samples and data from 1,500 patients collected by Johns Hopkins University researchers who will now work with the other Prechter-funded researchers.
• Many more DNA samples are needed, both from people who have bipolar disorder and from people without the disorder, no matter whether they have loved ones with bipolar.
• Giving a DNA sample involves allowing the research team to take a small sample of blood. Volunteers are interviewed at the start of the study, and annually after that, about their health, mental well-being and other issues.
• Those interested in finding out more about the project can call toll-free 1-877-UM-GENES or  (1-877-864-3637), or e-mail bpresearch@umich.edu.

Facts about bipolar disorder:

• Bipolar disorder was once called manic depression, but the term “bipolar disorder” is more commonly used today.
• The main characteristic of bipolar disorder is major mood swings, which can occur off and on throughout life. These can alternate between manic “up” or “high” periods, and depressed “down” or “low” periods.
• More than 5.7 million Americans, or 2.6 percent of the population, are estimated to have some form of bipolar disorder.
•  Bipolar disorder runs in families, and children whose parents have it are at an increased risk of developing it themselves.
•  Suicide or suicide attempts are an unfortunate but common occurrence among people with bipolar disorder.

Find more information about bipolar disorder:

• U-M Depression Center bipolar information: www.med.umich.edu/depression/bipolar.ht
• Prechter Fund and Prechter Genetic Repository at the U-M Depression Center: www.prechterfund.org
• National Institute of Mental Health Bipolar information: www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/bipolar.cfm
• Depression & Bipolar Support Alliance: http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_bipolar_overview

The University of Michigan Depression Center is the nation’s first comprehensive center dedicated to patient care, research, education and public policy in depression and bipolar disorder. Established in 2001, its mission is fivefold: to detect depression and bipolar disorders early, treat them earlier and more effectively, prevent recurrences and progression, counteract stigma, and improve public policy. More than 200 faculty, staff and students from across the University are members of the center. For more information about the University of Michigan Depression Center, please visit our web site atwww.depressioncenter.org or contact us at 800-475-UMICH.

Genetic Breakthrough for Bipolar Disorder

In what amounts to a scientific breakthrough a combined team of scientists from Britain and the United States have located two genes linked to bipolar disorder. Professor Nick Craddock, of Cardiff University's school of medicine, who lead the research says, "the findings will help people to avoid saying bipolar is just the way some people are, or that they should be able to control it . . . it puts it on a parallel with other diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes."

 

In one of the largest research projects of its kind, genes from more than 10,000 people, including 4,300 with bipolar disorder were examined, constituting a review of around 1.8 million genetic variations. The research team then identified that people with bipolar disorder were significantly more likely to have variants of the ANK3 and CACNA1C genes. These genes help to make proteins that control the flow of calcium and sodium ions that move in and out of nerve cells.

 

The ANK3 gene has a role in controlling the activity of cells whereas the CACNA1C gene is responsible for channels that control calcium flow from the brain. Normal brain function relies on a delicate balance of sodium and calcium. "The brain operates according to how quickly calcium and sodium are going in and out of cells and how much of it goes in and out," Craddock said.

 

The study, reported in the journal of Nature Genetics, is not expected to be helpful in determining risk for the disorder. Many people have the genes but do not have bipolar disorder. What the findings do achieve is they put to rest the notion that bipolar is purely psychological in nature. The fact that the disorder can now be identified as physiological will also help to provide a focus for future research and give direction to new treatments. Although lithium is known to help, it only achieves benefits for two-thirds of people and can cause weight gain and shakiness.

 

In an upbeat assessment of work to date and speaking to journalist Madeline Brindley of the Western Mail, Professor Craddock stated:

 

"When the research team can identify bipolar as an illness, like any other caused by a genetic predisposition, the stigma and discrimination faced by people with bipolar may finally be able to become a thing consigned to the history books."