Bipolar Today

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Researchers have found similarities between the brains of those with bipolar disorder and the brains of those with schizophrenia, according to this article in the Irish Medical Times. Lead author, Professor David Cotter, found that not only are the processes by which information is transmitted in the hippocampus affected in both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia (which they already knew), but that they are affected in almost exactly the same way (which they did not). As Professor Cotter put is, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, “…are almost identical in terms of how they present in the brain.” The abstract of the study can be found here.

Commentary

I am not sure whether or not to be surprised by this result. On the one hand, this would explain a lot about the strange sensory experiences and delusions that many people with bipolar 1 have. One of the odd things about bipolar 1 is that it seems to cross the line from just being a problem with mood to being a problem with perception of reality. It would also explain, of course, schizoaffective disorder. On the other hand, bipolar disorder seems, at least on the face of it, to be primarily a mood disorder. Certainly among those with bipolar 2, the disorder presents itself almost entirely in terms of mood.

If this is correct, it would seem to imply that bipolar 2 and schizophrenia are on the same spectrum. What is so counter-intuitive about that is that they have almost nothing in common in themselves. It’s like putting red and yellow on the orange spectrum. However, if they really do present themselves the same way in the brain, then this is the correct way to look at it, no matter how counter-intuitive it is.

Connections between mental illnesses are continuing to be discovered, and if the trend continues, we can expect to see a radical redrawing of the map of mental illness in the next few decades.

Related posts:

1. More Genetic Markers Found for Bipolar Disorder
2. MA Decision To Force Schizophrenic Woman’s Abortion and Sterilization Overturned
3. Genetic Marker for Suicidal Behavior Found
4. Genetic Link Discovered Between ADHD and Autism
5. DNA Copying Errors Linked To Bipolar Disorder