Faulty body clock may make kids bipolar
November 11, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Malfunctioning circadian clock genes may be responsible for bipolar disorder in children. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Psychiatry found four versions of the regulatory gene RORB that were associated with pediatric bipolar disorder.
New light on bipolar treatment drugs
April 21, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Potential mechanism identified for Lithium operation in the brain
Lithium has been established for more than 50 years as one of the most effective treatments for bipolar mood disorder.
Gene Hunt Hints at Cause of Bipolar Disorder
August 18, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
A gene hunt among more than 4,000 British, Irish and American patients suffering from bipolar disorder has turned up two genes that put new emphasis on a possible cause of the disease.
Both genes are involved in ion channels, the minute pores in nerve cells which let charged atoms rush in and out. This is the heart of the process that sends an electrical signal from one end of the nerve to the other.
The yin and yang of genes for mood disorders
March 12, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
Individual genes do not cause depression, but they are thought to increase the probability of an individual having a depression in the face of other accumulating risk factors, such as other genes and environmental stressors. One gene that has been shown to increase the risk for depression in the context of multiple stressful life events is the gene for the serotonin transporter protein. This gene is responsible for making the protein that is targeted by all current drug treatments for depression. In a number of studies it has been shown that people who inherit one form of this gene, called SLC6A4, are at up to four times the risk of depression if they experience unusual stresses in their lives. Basic science experiments and imaging studies in normal people suggest that the way this form of the gene affects risk for depression is by impacting on the development of a system in the brain that mediates how negative environmental stresses and threats feel. The effects of this serotonin gene on this brain system are thought to occur early in development, where the shaping of brain systems related to how the environment is experienced emotionally is critically determined.
Tamoxifen may help treat mania in patients with bipolar disorder
March 3, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
A small, three-week trial of tamoxifen, a drug typically used to treat breast cancer, indicates that it also may decrease symptoms of mania in patients with bipolar disorder, according to a report in the March issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
ABILIFY approved for acute treatment of bipolar I disorder in patients 10 to 17 years old
February 29, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
Otsuka-sponsored study evaluated use of ABILIFY for the acute treatment of manic and mixed episodes associated with bipolar I disorder in pediatric patients 10 to 17 years of age
Chemical signature of manic depression discovered by scientists
February 5, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
People with manic depression have a distinct chemical signature in their brains, according to a new study. The research, published today in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, may also indicate how the mood stabilisers used to treat the disorder counteract the changes in the brain that it appears to cause.
Studies find stable sleep patterns and regular routines may improve outcomes in bipolar disorder
December 8, 2007 by admin · Leave a Comment
Findings provide insight into influence of circadian rhythms
Bipolar disorder, commonly known as manic-depressive disorder, is highly influenced by the circadian system the bodys internal clock and a specific kind of psychotherapy may help decrease irregularities in the circadian system that can trigger key symptoms of bipolar disorder, according to a study presented today at the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) annual meeting. The results are important because they show for the first time that psychotherapy which focuses on practical lifestyle changes can ease the symptoms of bipolar disorder. Every year nearly six million American adults suffer from bipolar disorder, a brain disorder which causes severe shifts in mood, energy, and ability to function, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
Major Geriatric Bipolar Disorder Study Now Under Way
September 21, 2007 by admin · Leave a Comment
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Westchester’s Weill Cornell Institute of Geriatric Psychiatry Leads First Multi-Site Investigation of Two Commonly Used Mood-Stabilizing Drugs Participants Aged 60+ Sought to Help Complete the Five-Year NIMH-Funded Study
The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance Launches Online Video Contest
The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) has launched a national, online video contest, Facing Us. The contest is a part of a larger campaign aimed at putting a real face on
depression and bipolar disorder, two illnesses that affect as many as 35 million Americans.
