Causes of bipolar disorder
A clearcut cause?
Researchers now agree that there is no clear cause for bipolar disorder. Probably, there are many factors that play a role in its origin.
Is bipolar disease hereditary?
It is indeed a fact that bipolar disorder tends to occur more frequently in some families. This leads scientists to believe that there are certain genes (genes contain the information about the individuals mind and body and are passed from one generation to another) that play a role in the origin of bipolar disorder.
However, this does not mean that if one of the parents in a family suffers bipolar disorder, the children will automatically have the disorder too. Also, studies of identical twins (which have identical genes) show that very often one twin has bipolar disorder while the other does not. This shows that genes are not the entire story because if the disease was entirely caused by genes, the identical twins would always both suffer from bipolar disorder.
A story about genes.
Research also has shown that there is not a single gene that causes bipolar disorder. There are probably many different genes that act together to cause bipolar disorder, in combination with factors from the environment.
Science has so far not been able to identify the genes that contribute to an increased vulnerability to bipolar disorder. However, further research may contribute to a better understanding on those genes, and perhaps lead to the development of new and better treatments for bipolar disorder.
Clinical implications
All in all, there is no way to predict for sure who will develop bipolar disorder and who will not. That does not mean that science is without tools to help those who suffer.
There are now effective treatment methods that make it possible for people with bipolar disorder to lead a full and productive life. Important is not to wait too long before therapy is started. If therapy starts early, there is better chance that the cumbersome manic and depressive episodes can be reduced.
