Bipolar Disorder is a brain condition that is characterized by unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry about day-to-day tasks. While scientists cannot pinpoint a single direct cause of this disorder, they are in agreement that there are several factors that act together to increase ones risk of getting this illness.
Bipolar Disorder noticeably runs in families. Scientists have found that those with certain genes are more likely to have the illness than those who do not. However, these genes alone are not enough for one to have this illness. Studies have shown identical twins, who share the same genes, where one twin is bipolar while the other is not. This points to outside factors that influence Bipolar Disorder.
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One can notice the enlarged ventricles of the brain in the patient with Bipolar Disorder.
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It is also notable that those with Bipolar Disorder have different brain structures than those without. An MRI study found that the brain's prefrontal cortex in adults with Bipolar Disorder tends to be smaller than those without Bipolar Disorder. This part of the brain is crucial when it comes to functions such as problem solving and decision making. This structure and others mature during adolescence, which explains why the symptoms of Bipolar Disorder appear during the early teen years.
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The Symptoms
Those with Bipolar Disorder tend to have periods of unusually intense emotional states. Overly energetic states are known as manic states, while an overly sad or hopeless state is known as a depressive state. The symptoms of Bipolar Disorder are described in the table below (Taken from NIHM).