Hereditary Bipolar Disorder

The development of some mental and physical health conditions are complete mysteries. A person may develop such conditions without any warning and without having a family history. Others can be traced through families for generations. These are called hereditary conditions. Bipolar disease is one type of mental disorder that may have hereditary causes.

Identification

• Bipolar disorder, which is also referred to as manic depressive disorder, is a type of mental condition involving abnormal personality characteristics and behavioral changes. A person with bipolar disorder has extreme mood changes. For example, one phase of bipolar disorder is marked by extremely low moods and depression. The other phase, which is referred to as mania, is marked by extremely elevated moods and reckless behavior.

Heredity

• According to a study by Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, bipolar disorder may be a hereditary condition. The hereditary component of bipolar disease has yet to be proven beyond a shadow of a doubt, but a person with a family member with bipolar disease appears to be more likely to develop it. Neuropsychiatry Reviews states that it may be caused by chemical imbalances that are passed from parent to child. Those with bipolar disorder may also have inherited structural differences in their brains.

Misconceptions

• Neuropsychiatry Reviews asserts that many people are unaware of the possible genetic connection involved in bipolar disorder. Rather than heredity, some people blame parenting styles for the condition, thinking that parents can somehow cause their offspring to develop the disorder, even when it is diagnosed in adulthood. While it is possible that stress in the home can contribute to or aggravate the condition, Neuropsychiatry Reviews says it is unlikely to cause of this condition.

Rate

• According to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA), some people are under the impression that bipolar disease is a rare mental health condition. However, the DBSA estimates that more than five million adults in the United States are living with the disorder. Although bipolar disorder is most likely to be diagnosed in those over 15, children and younger teens may be diagnosed with this condition as well. In fact, the Mayo Clinic estimates that about 1 percent of children in the United States have the condition.

Diagnosis

• A diagnosis of bipolar disorder is usually made after a doctor reviews a patient's family and personal history and evaluates his symptoms. There's also a saliva test that looks for gene mutations that have been linked to bipolar disorder. However, the test cannot tell whether or not a person will develop the disorder or determine whether she has it already.