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Is Bipolar Disorder in Your Genes?

Bipolar disorder is a hereditary mental disease that causes mood swings. Genetics are one of a number of factors that contribute to the disease.

  1. Observations

    • Through years of observation, studies have found that there is a direct link between parents and children who have bipolar disorder.

    Studies

    • To draw a conclusion doctors made observations in people who do and do not suffer with bipolar disorder. They then took blood samples to analyze the chromosomes and DNA to see if there was a genetic connection.

    18

    • Chromosomes are made up of DNA, and in a number of cases it was found that the center of chromosome 18 was different in those who have bipolar disorder.

    Balanced Translocation

    • In a few select cases a condition known as balanced translocation was found. This means that in most cases chromosomes are paired and lined up evenly, but in bipolar disorder cases chromosomes 3 and 9 were not lined up and instead were linked together.

    Families

    • Although there is a direct link between DNA and bipolar disorder this does not mean children will develop the disease if their parents have it. Even in the case of identical twins one twin may develop the disease and not the other.

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