Bipolar disorder is characterized by swings from serious depression to extreme mania. About 1 percent of the general population suffers from bipolar disorder, which affects men and women roughly equally. Bipolar disorder is a biological brain disease that tends to run in families.
Cause
According to the National Alliance on Mental Health, bipolar disorder is caused by a chemical imbalance in the frontal lobe of the brain.
Manic Episodes
During manic episodes, activity in the frontal lobe increases significantly.
Depressive Episodes
During depressive episodes, activity in the frontal lobe decreases significantly.
Glial Cells
The brains of patients with bipolar disorder show decreases in the number and density of glial cells in the prefrontal cortex.
White Matter Hyperintensities
MRI studies of the frontal lobes of patients with bipolar disorder reveal small, abnormal areas in the white matter of the brain. These abnormalities are believed to be caused by the loss of myelin.
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