Bipolar Disorder
A disorder associated with episodes of mood swings ranging from depressive lows to manic highs.
The exact cause of bipolar disorder isn’t known, but a combination of genetics, environment, and altered brain structure and chemistry may play a role.
Manic episodes may include symptoms such as high energy, reduced need for sleep, and loss of touch with reality.
Depressive episodes may include symptoms such as low energy, low motivation, and loss of interest in daily activities. Mood episodes last days to months at a time and may also be associated with suicidal thoughts.
Treatment is usually lifelong and often involves a combination of medications and psychotherapy.
Cluster Number:
Wiki Number: W023
Diagnosis: Bipolar Disorder
US Patients: 3% in lifetime
World Patients: W2%
Sex Ratio:
Age Onset: Age 25
Brain Area: Below (ventral)pfc, less active on left for depression; on the right for mania.
Symptoms: 71% genetic +childhood abuse and stress; substance abuse; impulsive
Progression: 6% suicide, 35% self-harm;4 days down-months/7 days mania
Causes: dopamine higher in manic; lower in depressive; manic, glutamate higher in left pfc in manic
Medications: lithium, anti-psychotics-in-manic phase; mood-stabilizers; only lithium for children
Therapies: Teaching coping strategies for relapses and taking medication consistently
Please see the support materials for Bipolar I and for Bipolar II which follow.
4 CURRENT ARTICLES
FROM PUBMED
The world-wide medical research
reports chosen for each diagnosis
Clicking each title opens the
PubMed article’s summary-abstract.
- A potential diagnostic biomarker for schizophrenia based on local functional connectivity using dynamic regional phase synchronyby Lizhao Du on March 22, 2025
CONCLUSION: DRePS of BOLD signals, which is correlated with the clinical symptoms, could be a potential neuroimaging biomarker separating SZ from both HC and BD.
- Psychotropic comedication trends in long-term lithium treatment for older adults with bipolar disorder: A 10-year analysisby Olaf Paans on March 22, 2025
CONCLUSIONS: Long-term lithium treatment in older adults is mostly combined with other psychotropic medications. Frequent and prolonged use of benzodiazepines and significant increase of low-dose quetiapine use are concerning, given their adverse effects and lack of long-term efficacy. Prescription trends observed before 2010 have largely stabilized.
- Bipolar Disorder Associated With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Case-Control Study in the All of Us Research Programby Nana Ama Adjei-Frimpong on March 21, 2025
No abstract
- The digital divide in people with severe mental illness: lessons learned and challenges lying aheadby Panagiotis Spanakis on March 21, 2025
In the post-COVID-19 pandemic era, a 'digital-first' agenda is being adopted in health/social care services, while digital exclusion has not been fully addressed. People with severe mental illness face profound inequalities at many levels (i.e. social, financial and health). Digital exclusion may further exacerbate some of these inequalities.