What Causes Bipolar Disorder - Essay Example

Behavior and moods of a person could be correlated to chemical activities that happen to the human body by means of the chemical operations in the nervous system particularly in the brain. Human brain is complex. Messages were sent by means of neurotransmitters from one brain cell to another. These brain functions are responsible for mental, emotional and motor skills. Irregular activity on neuro-transmitters in the brain would be one of the reasons for mental and emotional disorders that may affect person’s emotional and physical behavior. Changes in moods or mood swings can be detected during cases of irregular chemical activity in the brain. This could be manifested in a person suffering from bipolar disorder or related mental illnesses. As early as 1800, pharmacological studies came up with antipsychotic drug that will help doctors during psychiatric treatment. Research and surveys showed that by the year 2005, based on the report of Archives of General Psychiatry, approximately 5.7 million of adult Americans or 2.5 percent of its population were affected by bipolar disorder (BD). There are also cases of BD found among children (Geller B, Luby J, 1997). Bipolar disorder or manic-depression is a mental disorder characterized by signs of mania or depressions which can be observed in alternating episodes. Prominently, these episodes show shifts of mood swings, from extremely energetic moods to hopeless and depressive moods. It includes one or more incidents of manic behavior, disrupted sleep, fast speech, distractibility and increase in goal-oriented-activities. Together with these manic episodes are depressive episodes characterize with lost of interest, displeasures, feeling of emptiness and unworthiness. A bio-chemical explanation was presented by scientist and researchers to explain why people tend to suffer manic-depression. Biologically speaking human brain was composed of nerve cells, neurotransmitters and receptors sending messages from one another (Prof. Hokin, University of Winconsin).Over activity or under activity in these neurotransmitters or messengers of the brain could be the reason for such disorders. So bipolar disorder could be manifested whenever brain operations has gone wrong resulting to alternating poles of mania and depression. Anti-psychotic drugs are prescribed by psychiatrists to treat bipolar disorder. These are termed to be mood stabilizers and help the patient as it goes into psychiatric treatment. The most common yet old used anti-psychotic drug nowadays is lithium. Dr. Frederick Goodwin (authority in bipolar disorder, director of the Center on Neuroscience, Medical Progress and Society and research professor of psychiatry at George Washington University Medical Center) calls lithium as: “…one of psychiatrys major drugs”. He recognized the efficacy of using lithium as: “…one of the major strategies for treating bipolar disorder.” The medical capability of lithium was used in mood stabilization as early as 1800. This was the first medicine approved by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of mania by the year 1970 (Postgraduate Medicine, 2000). Doctors discovered its mood-stabilizing properties and combined with other newer anti-depressants helps cure mentally related disorders. Treatment of lithium to BD patients lessens the number of suicide and suicide death (Tondo, et al., 1998). Lithium does not necessarily eliminated bipolar disorder, however it only reduce the intensity and frequency of bipolar behaviors (Dunner, 1998). Understanding the processes of the messengers in the brain could relatively explain how lithium works in the treatment of manic-depression. As soon as this anti-psychotic drug has been introduced to the human body it produced chemical reaction or signal to the brain. It has an effect to the brain messenger glutamate. Glutamate is a primary excitatory neurotransmitter. Normally, impulses from a nerve cell signal instantaneous messages from another nerve cell carried by the brain messenger glutamate across the spaces between neurons (called as synaptic cleft). According to Dr. Lowell Hokin (University of Winconsin Medical School professor of pharmacology) based on their researches too much amount of the neuro transmitter glutamate in the synaptic cleft cause mania. On the other hand too little amount can be the cause for depression. During the fluctuation of the amount of glutamate in the human brain creates an effect to one person’s shift of moods. It is concluded that the amount of glutamate neurotransmitter in the synaptic cleft can be considered reason for mood swings that can be observed in a bipolar disorder patient. The unique property of lithium as mood stabilizer helps neurotransmitter to operate properly. Lithium work on the receptor of glutamate and prevents its over and under activity. Once its amount is maintained on healthy level, the mood of a person could be treated to normal. To enhance clinical care, further pharmacological studies by the FDA about the usage of Lithium have been taken place. This is to make sure that the amount of lithium in the person’s blood under lithium medication is below the toxic level. According to William Glazer, M.D., president and chief medical officer of ReliaLAB, New Jersey, the intended lithium medication should be between 0.4 mEq/L and 1.4 mEq/L. When the level hits 1.5 mEq/L, toxic level commonly begins. Monitoring the ranges for the needed medication treatment could be done through a test that is similar in finding out the amount of blood sugar in diabetic persons. This test is conducted to find out the accurate amount of lithium in the patient’s blood. Glazer explained how this test can be conducted. Few drops of blood are taken from the patient using a finger stick. Then a blood separator device is ready to contain the blood. After obtaining the plasma it would be transferred to a container containing a reagent they call as curette. After that a reader is ready to obtain the level of lithium in the blood of a bipolar disorder patient. According to Dr. Glazer this process would take about 2 to 5 minutes and assessment could be done on the spot. Conducting this pharmacological test and study are needed to prevent any side effects that might appear in the incorrect usage of this particular anti-psychotic drug. There has been proven negative effect in the wrong consumption of this drug (Walsh, 1998). Early signs of toxicity include nausea, memory problems, vomiting, drying of the mouth, excessive thirst and hand tremor. Lack of coordination and weakness can also be observed. Too much urination, seizures, blurred vision and severe trembling are the late symptoms of lithium toxicity. The pharmacological studies conducted by the FDA could be found helpful in using the full potential of lithium as mood stabilizer and at the same time prevent over dosage. As a conclusion Pharmacology plays big role in helping people with manic-depression. There are processes in the brain that should be clearly understood in dealing with bipolar disorder. It is in no amount that cure or treatment can be formulated without necessarily rooting the problem from its underlying phenomena. Through pharmacology, facts are being discovered that the properties of lithium act to the receptors of the neurotransmitter glutamate keeping its amount right enough as needed by the brain. Discovering brain processes, the interaction between brain cells and the function of the transmitters gives idea to why lithium can effectively act as mood stabilizer. Even though that lithium is helpful in bipolar disorder cases, we should still be warned that a certain level of its use should be maintained as to avoid toxicity. Knowing the nature of this disorder and the proper medication is therefore required to prevent risk. WORKS CITED Kimberly Read. What Causes Bipolar Disorder. Updated June 18, 2006. 10 June 2006. Arline Kaplan. FDA-Approved Office Lithium Test Expected To Enhance Clinical Care. Psychiatric Times .August 2005 .Vol. XXII. Issue 9. 10 June 2006. Bipolar Disorder. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). 10 June 2006. Sachs GS, Printz DJ, Kahn DA, Carpenter D, Docherty JP. The expert consensus guideline series: medication treatment of bipolar disorder 2000. Postgraduate Medicine, 2000; Spec No:1-104 Tondo, L., Baldessarini, R., Hennen, J., & Floris, G. (1998). “Lithium treatment and risk of suicidal behavior in bipolar disorder patients.” Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 59, 8-19. Ann Arbor. The University of Michigan. October, 2000. Evidence of Brain Chemistry Abnormalities in Bipolar Disorder. Durand, V. M. & Barlow, D. H. 2000. Abnormal Psychology: An Introduction. Scarborough, Ontario: Wadsworth. Glazer WM, Sonnenberg JG, Reinstein M (2005), A novel, "point of care" test for lithium levels. Presented at the 158th Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association. Atlanta; May 26. Goodwin FK, Fireman B, Simon GE et al. (2003), Suicide risk in bipolar disorder during treatment with lithium and divalproex. JAMA 290(11):1467-1473 Dunner, D.L. (1998). Lithium carbonate: Maintenance studies and consequences of withdrawal. Journal of Clinical Psyciatry, 59, 48-58.  Read More