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Re: what's the purpose of hypo-/ mania?

Posted by SLS on December 17, 2008, at 10:14:09

In reply to what's the purpose of hypo-/ mania?, posted by llurpsienoodle on December 17, 2008, at 7:46:12

> There's an awful lot of talk about how depression and such relates to early psychological (autobiographical)history. But I wonder why mania (or hypomania) is typically thought of as an abnormal *brain* function.

Great thinking. Great questions.

It doesn't matter how these biological illnesses are triggered. Once they are triggered, they represent abnormal brain function. Both MDD and BP can become self-sustaining after they are triggered. Things are just not working the way they are supposed to. I don't think mania is the way the brain tries to compensate for depression. As a clue to this relationship, once can cite the pattern of mood states that occur in a rapid-cycling bipolar patient. Mania does not follow depression. Instead, depression follows mania.

normal -> mania -> depression -> normal

There is such a thing as a bipolar temperament. Prior to the first episode of bipolar disorder, there are several psychological character traits that are associated with the subsequent induction of illness. Four bipolar temperament qualities (i.e. extroversion-introversion, practical-imaginative, thinking-feeling and organized-flexible styles) are used as a measurement of prosyndromal bipolar disorder. Cyclothymia is sometimes included here, but it is now considered well within the boundaries as an expression of active bipolar disorder.

There are many more points of interest here, but it would be difficult to address them in a series of posts. Monozygotic (identical) twin studies provide evidence that it is not inevitable that bipolar disorder emerges. I believe that, among other things, differences in psychosocial stress can account for this.


- Scott

 

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