The chemicals responsible for controlling the brain's functions are called neurotransmitters, and include noradrenaline, serotonin and dopamine. There's some evidence that if there's an imbalance in the levels of 1 or more neurotransmitters, a person may develop some symptoms of bipolar disorder.
Bipolar disorder may reduce gray matter volume
Gray matter contributes in some way to every aspect of human life. A 2016 meta-analysis found a significantly lower volume of gray matter in the brains of people with bipolar disorder compared with those of people without the condition.
Dysfunction in serotonin neurotransmission is postulated to have a critical role in mood disorders. Serotonin transporters terminate serotonin's action by reuptake into neurons. In bipolar disorder, platelets have been shown to have lower serotonin reuptake.
Bipolar affective disorder is a common neuropsychiatric disorder. Although its neurobiological underpinnings are incompletely understood, the dopamine hypothesis has been a key theory of the pathophysiology of both manic and depressive phases of the illness for over four decades.
Evidence suggests that changes in a brain region called the locus coeruleus contribute to bipolar disorder. Cells within this area produce a chemical called norepinephrine, whose levels increase during mania and decrease during depression.
In BD, bipolar depression is characterized by increased striatal dopamine transporter levels, resulting in attenuated dopaminergic function (17).
Norepinephrine and serotonin are linked to mood disorders, such as depression and BPAD. Dopamine, is more closely linked to psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia. However, since these disorders have a number of symptoms in common, all three chemicals are likely involved in different phases of BPAD.
Bipolar disorder seems to often run in families and there appears to be a genetic part to this mood disorder. There is also growing evidence that environment and lifestyle issues have an effect on the disorder's severity.
No one knows exactly what causes bipolar disorder. Research suggests that a combination of factors could increase your chance of developing it. This includes physical, environmental and social conditions.
Genes. Bipolar disorder often runs in families, and research suggests this is mostly explained by heredity—people with certain genes are more likely to develop bipolar disorder than others. Many genes are involved, and no one gene can cause the disorder.
The results showed that manic episodes led to decreased volume in certain areas of the brain. Bipolar disorder has been linked to various structural brain changes, including most notably progressive grey matter loss in the brain's frontal regions.
In some studies studying the parental effects in bipolar disorder, the father's effect is also reported. In a study conducted with a large sample, the prevalence of disease was found to be higher in children of fathers with bipolar disorder than in the children of mothers with bipolar disorder (15).
A person with bipolar disorder will alternate between periods of mania (elevated mood) and periods of depression (feelings of intense sadness). In between these two extremes, a person will have periods of normal mood. To help gain a better understanding of what it feels like, mania and depression are described below.
An episode of mania may impact your psychomotor skills, reasoning, and working memory. Sometimes, you may also experience psychosis. But research shows that despite these neurocognitive impairments, intelligence in people with bipolar disorder is not impacted by the onset of the condition.
Bipolar disorder can be confused with other conditions, such as depression, schizophrenia, BPD, anxiety, and ADHD.
While bipolar disorder can't be cured, symptoms can be controlled with an effective treatment plan. Are you struggling with your mental health? Call us today to get help. Bipolar disorder may worsen with age or over time if the condition is left untreated.
Bipolar disorder can occur at any age, although it often develops between the ages of 15 and 19 and rarely develops after 40. Men and women from all backgrounds are equally likely to develop bipolar disorder. The pattern of mood swings in bipolar disorder varies widely between people.
The full moon can affect people with bipolar disorder due to moon tides disrupting sleep patterns — light therapy can help you cope. Moon cycles are often associated with a variety of mental health and physical health conditions.
Childhood traumatic events are risk factors for developing bipolar disorders, in addition to a more severe clinical presentation over time (primarily an earlier age at onset and an increased risk of suicide attempt and substance misuse).
Dopamine, more than other neurotrans-mitters, has been implicated in the transition of depression to a manic episode in bipolar disorder [19].
Certain drugs and substances such as caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, NutraSweet, antidepressants, and some cholesterol-lowering medications deplete serotonin and other neurotransmitter levels.