What are the causes of Bipolar Disorder?

Although mental disorders have become more common in the recent years , the research surrounding the causes of bipolar disorder is still in it's beginning stages .Researchers have found that Bipolar disorder is caused by problems with brain circuits and imbalance of neurotransmitters. They have found that the neurotransmitters Noradrenaline and Serotonin have serious affects on both depression and Bipolar. Serotonin, a neurotransmitter that causes learning, memory, impulsive, and sleep cycles.Serotonin amounts are said to affect the transmission of chemical messengers to the brain. 

Brain Imaging does not accurately determine the occurrence of mental disorder in brain. 

Research has also shown that genetics also plays a huge role in whether a family member can also receive the disease. John Hopkins research concluded that" 40% of the 47 first-degree relatives of the bipolar II patients also had bipolar II disorder; 22% of the 219 first-degree relatives of the bipolar I patients had bipolar II disorder."This shows that family history of mental illness plays role in the future health of that individual. Studies also show that parents , who had ADHD growing up were more likely to have children with bipolar disorder.

Not only does genetics play a role in mental disorders, but lifestyle also changes the chemical makeup of the brain. Substance abuse, alcoholism, and lack of sleep can cause increased anxiety and tension for the individual. 

Works Cited

British researchers have also found that three parts of the brain are primarily responsible for the getting the disease: the amygdala, hippocampus, and the - the cingulate gyrus. These three parts of the brain functioned differently in comparison to those with a normal functioning brain. These three parts which make up the limbic system are responsible for "emotion, motivation, memory and fear - the classic maladaptions of manic depressives."