Study links bipolar mood swings to biological and dopamine clocks. This discovery suggests new treatment targets focusing on the dopamine-based rhythm generator.
Mesolimbic dopamine neurons drive infradian rhythms in sleep-wake and heightened activity state
Go to source). The researchers from McGill University conducted a study to understand what drives shifts between the two states. The study results are published in Science Advances. Their research model compared the brain rhythm to how the sun and moon influence the tides at specific and recurring times.
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A quick, simple and anonymous self-assessment health tool to assess the level of depression using the famous Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale.
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‘Study finds #dopamine as a key factor in the mood swings of #bipolar disorder. #mania #medindia’
How Two Body Clocks Drive Mood Swings in Bipolar Disorder
The findings suggest that regularly occurring mood switches in bipolar disorder patients are controlled by two “clocks”: the biological 24-hour clock, and a second clock that is driven by dopamine-producing neurons that typically influence alertness.A manic or depressed state may arise depending on how these two clocks, which run at different speeds, align at a given time. Notably, the authors say this second dopamine-based clock stays dormant in healthy people.
To carry out their study, the scientists activated the second clock in mice to create behavioral rhythms similar to the mood swings in bipolar disorder. When they disrupted dopamine-producing neurons in the brain's reward center, these rhythms ceased, highlighting dopamine as a key factor in the mood swings of bipolar disorder.
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Dopamine Rhythm: A New Bipolar Treatment Target
Current treatments for bipolar disorder focus on stabilizing moods but often don’t address the root causes of mood swings, the researchers said. “Our discovery of a dopamine-based arousal rhythm generator provides a novel and distinct target for treatment, which should aim at correcting or silencing this clock to reduce the frequency and intensity of mood episodes,” said Storch.What remains unknown is the exact molecular workings of the dopamine clock, as well as the genetic and environmental factors that may activate it in humans. The research team’s next step will be to focus on these molecular "gears" and investigate these potential triggers.
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Reference:
- Mesolimbic dopamine neurons drive infradian rhythms in sleep-wake and heightened activity state - (https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.ado9965)
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Discover how bipolar disorder can lead to a higher risk of premature death compared to smoking and the importance of preventive healthcare interventions.
