Endocrinology in Manic Disorder

Manic depression is a mood disorder characterized by an elevated mood that drops suddenly to intense sadness. There is indication that the disorder might be the result of a dysfunctional endocrine system.

Manic Depression

• Manic depression is considered a hereditary condition and strikes men and women equally. Symptoms include persistent sadness, crying, irritability, restlessness and loss of appetite.

Thyroid Gland

• The thyroid gland is part of the endocrine system. It is located in the neck and produces thyroid hormones. Depression is associated with low levels of this hormone, while people with extreme mood elevation or euphoria often register high levels of it. A person with manic depression will go from high to low levels.

Adrenaline

• Produced in the body by the adrenal glands, adrenaline is called the fight or flight hormone because it is secreted when you feel threatened. People with manic depression are frequently paranoid and can produce excess amounts of adrenaline, which raises their heart rate and heightens their response to their environment.

Reproductive System

• The ovaries produce hormones called estrogen and testosterone. Women have mood swings associated with their menstrual cycle because the balance of these hormones has changed. It's unclear why this imbalance occurs or if it is involved in manic depression, but there are similarities in the mood swings.

Hypothalamus

• The hypothalamus of the brian controls blood pressure, body temperature and hormone production. When your body releases a hormone to stimulate a mood, it does so at the request of the hypothalamus. Since bipolar disorder might be a result of hormone production, it's possible that the hypothalamus in involved.