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In this episode, I explain the biology, symptoms, causes and types of bipolar disorder (sometimes called bipolar depression). I discuss neuroplasticity and how the brain normally regulates mood, energy, and perceptions; then, I contrast that with the biology of bipolar disorder, which is characterized by extremes of energy and mood, e.g., mania and depression. I outline the mechanisms through which bipolar disorder manifests in the brain, including deficits of interoception and reduced connections between the parietal and limbic systems. I also outline how treatment options (such as lithium) work in part through homeostatic plasticity.’ I discuss not only lithium but also the treatment of bipolar with ketamine, different talk therapies, electroconvulsive therapy, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and nutraceuticals, including Omega-3 and Inositol supplementation. This episode should interest anyone who has or knows someone with bipolar disorder and, more broadly, those interested in how the brain works to create a balance between thoughts, energy levels, focus, and mood.
Articles
- The Long-term Natural History of the Weekly Symptomatic Status of Bipolar I Disorder (JAMA Psychiatry)
- A Prospective Investigation of the Natural History of the Long-term Weekly Symptomatic Status of Bipolar II Disorder (JAMA Psychiatry)
- Lithium salts in the treatment of psychotic excitement (Bulletin of the World Health Organization)
- Longitudinal Changes in Structural Connectivity in Young People at High Genetic Risk for Bipolar Disorder (American Journal of Psychiatry)
- Targeting Homeostatic Synaptic Plasticity for Treatment of Mood Disorders 30361-5)(Neuron)
- Omega-3 fatty acid treatment, with or without cytidine, fails to show therapeutic properties in bipolar disorder: a double-blind, randomized add-on clinical trial (Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology)
- Omega 3 fatty acids in bipolar disorder: a preliminary double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (JAMA Psychiatry)
- Reduced mania and depression in juvenile bipolar disorder associated with long-chain ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation (European Journal of Clinical Nutrition)
- Omega-3 fatty acid treatment and T(2) whole brain relaxation times in bipolar disorder (The American Journal of Psychiatry)
- Brainstorm: Occupational choice, bipolar illness and creativity (Economics & Human Biology)
