The brain, which is part of your central nervous system, is the primary target of bipolar illness. Your central nervous system is made up of a succession of nerves that control various body functions. It is made up of both the brain and the spine.
Bipolar disorder affects the thinner cortical gray matter in the frontal, temporal, and parietal regions of both brain hemispheres, and also the hippocampus.
Bipolar disorder can cause your mood to swing from an extreme high to an extreme low. Manic symptoms can include increased energy, excitement, impulsive behaviour, and agitation. Depressive symptoms can include lack of energy, feeling worthless, low self-esteem and suicidal thoughts.
4 This diathesis is currently viewed as a multisystem ailment that not only affects brain functioning but also results in physical comorbidities like cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, disorders of immunity, and endocrine dysfunction.
What are digestive disorders in bipolar disorder? People with bipolar disorder may show increased rates of co-occurring conditions. These can include digestive system disorders such as appendicitis, gastric ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, and celiac (or coeliac) disease.
People with bipolar disorder have lower levels of Faecalibacterium, a healthy bacteria. Faecalibacterium is one of the most essential bacteria for maintaining gut health. It helps to reduce inflammation in the gut lining, making it more hospitable for other microorganisms, thus maintaining a balanced gut microbiome.
Low thyroid function may be associated with bipolar depression. Hospitalized patients with bipolar depression and low baseline thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels are more likely to switch to mania. Thyroid dysfunction is also associated with poorer treatment response in bipolar disorder.
Chemical imbalance in the brain
There is some evidence that bipolar disorder may be associated with chemical imbalances in the brain. The chemicals responsible for controlling the brain's functions are called neurotransmitters, and include noradrenaline, serotonin and dopamine.
Left untreated, bipolar disorder can result in serious problems that affect every area of your life, such as: Problems related to drug and alcohol use. Suicide or suicide attempts. Legal or financial problems.
The life expectancy for someone with bipolar disorder is approximately 67 years old. A 2021 study researched the effect of bipolar disorder on longevity and found that: risk of death is 2.6 times greater than the general population. the average life span is between 8–12 years shorter than the general population.
Pain in bipolar disorder is not limited to the psychological pain of depression or agitation. Physical pain is also a symptom of bipolar disorder, usually in the form of muscle aches and joint pain. There are also chronic pain illnesses linked to bipolar disorder like migraines, fibromyalgia and arthritis.
While brain scans cannot be used to diagnose bipolar disorder, they can show grey matter and amygdala activity. This information can help doctors understand how bipolar disorder affects the brain and how brain activity in those with bipolar disorder compares to those of others with a different mental health condition.
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. But genes are not the only factor.
It has also been found that those individuals with depression, including bipolar depression, have been found to also be vitamin D deficient.
Bipolar disorder and addiction to drugs or alcohol
Alcohol misuse appears to be most common among people with bipolar disorder. Some research found that: the risk of addiction to drugs is nearly doubled among people with bipolar disorder. about 42% of people with bipolar disorder are addicted to alcohol.
Research shows bipolar disorder may damage the brain over time. Experts think it's because you slowly lose amino acids. They help build the proteins that make up the insulation around your neurons.
Bipolar disorder (BD) is strongly associated with immune dysfunction. Replicated epidemiological studies have demonstrated that BD has high rates of inflammatory medical comorbidities, including autoimmune disorders, chronic infections, cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders.
Studies have shown success in using levothyroxine thyroid hormone treatment to manage both treatment resistant bipolar disorder and hypothyroidism concurrently.
Abnormalities of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, the primary biological system mediating the stress response, are thought to reflect stress-related dysregulation and have been described in patients with bipolar disorder (BD) (reviewed by Daban et al., 2005).
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.