"A modern theory says that mental disorders are often caused by genetic predisposition.

An investigation which was held recently by 200 scientists from all over the world showed that this genetic predisposition may be blocked by medicine.

The results of this investigation were published in the magazine Nature Genetics.

However, Russian doctors believe that for a better effect, besides medicine, certain mental exercises should be recommended to people prone to mental illness.

The researchers, who represented 100 medical institutes from all over the world, tried to reveal humans’ genes which may influence a predisposition to schizophrenia, depression, manic-depressive psychosis and senile dementia, also known as Alzheimer’s disease.

“Millions of people have gene combinations in their DNAs, which can decrease or totally rule out the risk of a mental disorder, but sometimes, these genes are in a latent state.” Professor Paul Thompson, a neurologist from the California University, says. “However, they can be “awakened” by medicine.”

“For all its good results, the effect of medicine in preventing mental disorders should not be overestimated,” Russian scientist Karina Sarkisova says. “I believe that, in fact, any case of a mental illness is caused by genetic predisposition. But even a person with bad heredity may never develop a mental disorder if he or she is not exposed to unfavorable circumstances.”

“A person may have a genetic predisposition to a mental disorder, but these “bad” genes may stay in a latent state for all of his or her life,” Karina Sarkisova says. “But a stressful situation, a virus infection or intoxication may provoke these “bad” genes to “wake up”.”

“To prevent mental disorders, it is probably desirable to compile the “gene portrait” of every person,” Ms. Sarkisova continues. “However, as I have already said, trying to prevent mental illness only with medicine would not be enough. Every medicine may have a side effect. Other methods should be used as well – for example, the method which was worked out by Russian scientist Alexander Luriya.”

“Luriya, who treated patients with parts of their brains not functioning, discovered that if one part of a human’s brain is not functioning, another part may start to perform its functions. To help such patients, Luriya worked out special mental exercises for them.”

“At present, scientists can already “manipulate” with humans’ genes in order to block genetic predisposition to mental disorders,” another Russian scientist, Professor Valeria Strelets, says. “But, of course, the psychological aspect is also very important. A person with genetic predisposition to a mental illness should try to avoid stressful situations. Doctors should talk more with such patients, not to let them keep their problems to themselves. This can help people with a predisposition to schizophrenia, children with the syndrome of autism (a mental disorder when a person is so “locked in himself” that it is very difficult for him to communicate with people), or just mentally unbalanced children.”

Another way to fight against one’s predisposition to mental disorder is being occupied with a certain creative activity. For example, it is known that Mozart suffered from what is known as the Tourette syndrome, when a person often starts to talk nonsence against his or her will. But when Mozart wrote music, his paroxisms stopped. It has been also found out that creative activity can help people with senile dementia to preserve a better memory.

"With old age, the amount of neurotransmitters (chemical substanses that help to establish communication between the brain’s cells) in a human organism desreases," Professor Strelets says. "Scientists have proved that strong but positive emotions, which can be achieved through creative activity, may help establish better connections between the brain’s cells."

Another means of preventing or treating mental disorders is a special diet. For example, lack of a substance known as serotonin in one’s organizm may cause aggressiveness or depression. To consume more seratonin, one should eat more sweetened products.

Of course, there cannot be a cure to all illnesses. But practice has shown that, if put together, the cotemporary methods of treating mental disorders can already produce very good results."