Study: Mental disorders share genetic link

SEATTLE -- The largest genetic study of mental illnesses to date has made a surprising discovery.

In a quest to unravel what causes psychiatric disorders and how to better diagnose and treat them, a recent study found five very different disorders actually share some gene-based risks.

The five linked in this study are autism, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, bi-polar disorder, major depressive disorder and schizophrenia.

Dr. Paul Zarkowski from Sound Mental Health talked about what the finding means for local families.