Bipolar 1 Patients Sought for a New Study

The Institute of Psychiatric Research at Indiana University School of Medicine is looking for patients who have bipolar I disorder to participate in a study on the genetics of this mood disorder. The researchers are also looking for children of bipolar patients for this study.

This study is not a clinical drug trial nor does it provide treatment, it merely looks at the genetics of the millions of Americans who have bipolar 1 disorder.

The diagnosis and inheritance of bipolar 1 disorder has long been an area of special interest and research at the IU School of Medicine with a goal of enhanced quality of life for patients with this illness. It is clear to researchers the bipolar1 disorder is inherited.

Every bipolar patient involved in the study need to complete an interview. This interview is about their daily lives, current medications, and symptoms. It also includes an in-depth look into the family history to see the bipolar 1 disorder connections. Each bipolar patient is also required to donate a sample of blood for the researchers to study.

In addition, IU researchers seek young people, ages 12 - 21, with a parent with a bipolar disorder. This study will look at risk factors for developing the illness, as they know those children may have symptoms of the disorder present..

Evidence indicates that bipolar disorder is a common problem, occurring in one to three percent of the general population. The disorder also appears to present in families and it is hereditary.

Close relatives such as children of the patient suffering from bipolar illness are 3 to 6 times more likely to develop either depression or manic-depressive illness than the general population. If both parents have bipolar the chances of the child having is are increased as one would normally expect.

Unlike major depression, which can occur at any age, manic-depressive illness in general begins before the age of 30. Bipolar also known as manic-depressive is a disorder in which the patient experiences a series of 3 distinct phases. These three phases are the mania phase where the patient feels everything is great, the depressive state in which the patient is very depressed perhaps even suicidal, and the phase where they appear to be not suffering. Bipolar patients can sometimes go from on phase to another quickly and this is known as rapid cycling.

For more information about these studies please visit the IU Institute of Psychiatric Research site