Science and Bipolar Disorder: A Triple Threat

February 1st, 2013 | Add a Comment

Headlines shout out from the computer screen: “Identifying bipolar disorder before clinical signs”, “Study Tracks Bipolar Brain Activity in Response to Emotion”, and “Improving the Diagnoses of Bipolar Disorder in Children”. (foxnews.com) (Nauert) (Deibler). Given that bipolar disorder affects about 104,606,077 of the global population, it is no surprise that there is a constant flurry of scientific and psychological movement around this disorder. Three areas that are being addressed when it comes to bipolar disorder are the circuit dysfunctions in the brain, identifying potential individuals who are at risk before they develop clinical signs, and children and bipolar disorder. If these areas can be addressed simultaneously, although not instantly, the world of psychotherapy and mental health will make huge advances in the treatment and diagnoses of the bipolar spectrum.

The bipolar spectrum, which currently includes bipolar disorders I and II, cyclothymia, and bipolar disorder NOS (not otherwise specified), has long been regarded as the result of brain circuitry. When a study performed on a group of unmedicated volunteers was provided happy, sad, and non-emotional stimuli, researchers found that the cortical activation was unusual.

Manic patients showed unusual responses to all three stimuli, depressed to trying to withhold a response from a sad face, and the euthymic bipolar volunteers even showed unusual activation in response to these stimuli. It was also suggested that these findings could potentially be used to refine treatment processes, such as neurostimulation and psychotherapy.

But let’s rewind a tad, and say that the individual wasn’t showing clinical signs of bipolar disorder, but is genetically high risk. Does the disorder have to make the person’s life entirely unmanageable or unhappy before he or she gets a chance to seek professional help?

Not anymore, it doesn’t.

A study by researchers from the Black Dog Institute and University of New South Wales has found that by using brain images, and comparing the activity in the inferior frontal gyrus, scientists may be able to predict youth who are at risk for developing bipolar disorder. With a starting point like this, we may one day be able to prevent the onset of bipolar disorder in some individuals.

Until that day comes, however, we still need to become more apt at diagnosing bipolar disorder in children as there is still an average time lapse of 10 years between symptom emergence and treatment. Currently, bipolar disorder in children is commonly misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all, because it is not addressed in the current DSM (DSM-IV). However, there are certain manifestations of bipolar disorder in children that are easily recognizable when in conjunction with each other. It’s so important that these diagnoses be made properly, so that management can be started as early as possible.

Bipolar disorder no longer has to be a crippling disorder. In the fields of medicine, science, and psychology, our society is combating this disorder full force. With all of the drive and determination we can see above, it is highly possible that bipolar disorder is going to become a lot easier to live with in the future. From brain imaging studies to the need for separate childhood diagnosis guidelines, there are many advances helping to create a world where a mental disorder doesn’t have to run anyone’s life.

Works Cited

Deibler, Marla W. “Improving the Diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder in Children. Bipolar Disorder in Children: Misunderstood and Misdiagnosed.” psychcentral.com. 28 January 2013. 30 January 2013.

foxnews.com. “Identifying bipolar disorder before clinical signs.” 09 January 2013. 30 January 2013.

Nauert, Rick. “Study Tracks Bipolar Brain Activity in Response to Emotion.” psychcentral.com. 15 January 2013. 30 January 2013.