Bipolar disorder is a mental illness characterized by extreme mood episodes and changes in activity levels that shift from mania (high energy, elation, heightened irritability, rapid speech, impulsive behaviors) to depression (sad, hopeless, unmotivated, self-loathing, loss of enjoyment). Depending on the type of bipolar disorder, manic episodes typically last 4 to 7 days or longer. Depressive episodes can last a few days or a few months. In many cases the episodes are spread out over some time, giving the individual time to recover and live a healthy, productive life in between. Others experience rapid cycling where they experience 4 or more episodes of either mania or depression (or both) in 12 month.
Bipolar disorder is a complex mental illness that has been linked to several genetic variants, making it one of the most likely psychiatric disorders to be passed down within the family. However, it does not follow any clear pattern. Read on for more information about genetics and other risk factors for bipolar disorder.
Is bipolar disorder genetic?
Despite its strong genetic component, the exact cause of bipolar disorder still eludes us. One thing we do know is that babies are not born with it. There are certain genes that increase a baby’s risk of developing bipolar disorder later in life, but it’s never a guarantee and scientists have not been able to find any consistent pattern. For example, one family may have only a single member who has developed bipolar disorder, while another family has several members who suffer from it across generations. Research shows that if an individual’s parent or sibling has bipolar disorder, they have a 5% to 10% chance of developing it too. If that sibling is a twin, the chances are around 50%). If the relative who suffers from the disorder is more distant, the chances decrease. But isolated cases of bipolar disorder are also not uncommon. It is unclear why some families are more likely to pass on bipolar disorder than others, but there are a number of other factors that increase the risk of developing it, whether you have the specific gene variants that put you at risk or not.
Other risk factors for bipolar disorder
Although bipolar disorder does run in families, other factors play a role in its development as well. Some of the environmental and lifestyle factors listed below can also be passed down through families, which could help explain, in part, why some families are more likely than others to trigger the gene variants. Additional risk factors may include:
- Prenatal exposure to infections
- Prenatal stress exposure
- Brain structure
- Chemical imbalance in the brain
- Early life stress, such as extreme poverty or neglect
- Childhood trauma, such as the loss of a parent
- Childhood sexual abuse
- Concussions or traumatic head injuries
- Cannabis use
- Cocaine use
- Alcohol abuse
- History of depression or other mental health problems
Even if you have none of the above risk factors for bipolar disorder, it’s still possible to develop the condition. The good news is that effective treatment is available. The bad news is that the available treatments don’t work for everyone. Bipolar disorder is one of the more elusive mental illnesses. We’re learning more about it every day, but there’s still so much we don’t know. More research is still needed to understand what causes bipolar disorder so we can learn how best to treat and prevent it. If you’re interested in helping to advance science for the good of those who suffer from bipolar disorder now or in the future, ask us about our bipolar research study.
Bipolar clinical research study in San Diego | Synergy Research Center
At Synergy Research Centers in San Diego, we are currently enrolling for our inpatient bipolar research study. Eligible participants have received a diagnosis of bipolar disorder and are between the ages of 18 and 65. The study requires a 35-day stay in our inpatient facility. Participants will be compensated for their time. For more information about our bipolar clinical research study or to inquire about your eligibility, call us at (888) 539-0282 today.