Who is at Risk?
As of the time of this writing, scientists have not been able to locate a single cause for someone developing bipolar disorder. There is now evidence that there may be several factors linked together which may attribute to the overall development of the illness.
There are two main factors that are considered identifying those that are at risk for developing bipolar disorder:
Genetics
The most common pattern in bipolar development is based on genetics of the individual and their family history. Children of those affected by bipolar disorder are four to six times more likely to develop bipolar disorder compared to those children that do not have a family history of the illness. According to the National Institute of Mental Health or NIMH, researchers have been able to link visible signs of the disorder with the genes that may influence them. Some identifying traits or signs portrayed by these individuals are:
- Hospitalization or treatment of bipolar disorder
- Patterns of missed work or erratic behavior
- Experienced other illnesses or disorders such as panic or anxiety attacks, drug and/or alcohol abuse
Other symptoms and traits that have been identified in the study of genetic bipolar disorder include:
- Family history of psychiatric hospitalization
- Amount and frequency of manic episodes
- Co-occurring obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Age of first manic episode
Although scientists and researchers do not yet have a full understanding of the genetic factors and how they may cause bipolar disorder, several studies involving identical twins have shown that the twin of an individual afflicted with bipolar disorder may not always develop the disorder as well. What makes this extremely interesting is that identical twins share all of the same genes. That being said, to rest an entire hypothesis that bipolar disorder is simply genetic, is not an accurate statement.
Brain Structure and Functioning
Emerging technology has offered scientists the ability to study the brain activity of an individual with bipolar disorder. Brain imaging tools such as Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (FMRI) allows researchers to take images of the bipolar mind in action. Some imaging studies have shown how the brains of those with bipolar disorder hold key differences between those of healthy individuals or those affected with other mental disorders. One such study using MRI was able to identify the pattern of brain development in children with bipolar disorder was very similar in children with multi-dimensional impairment, which is a mental disorder that includes symptoms that overlap somewhat with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
With such studies and research tools, scientists are better able to understand bipolar disorder and offer measures to assist those suffering from the disorder and ,may someday be able to predict treatment outcomes and determine better courses of action when treating bipolar disorder.
