Research & Drug Development

Bipolar disorder, also known as, manic depression, is a mental disorder that is characterized by constantly changing moods. A person with bipolar disorder experiences alternating highs (also called mania) and lows (also known as depression). Both the manic and depressive periods can be brief, from just a few hours to a few days, or longer, lasting up to several weeks or even months. The periods of mania and depression range from person to person, many people may only experience very brief periods of these intense moods, and may not even be aware that they have bipolar disorder.

Bipolar cycling can either be rapid, or more slowly over time. Those who experience rapid cycling can go between depression and mania as often as a few times a week (some even cycle within the same day). Most people with bipolar disorder are of the slow cycling type they experience long periods of being up (high or manic phase) and of being down (low or depressive phase). Researchers do not yet understand why some people cycle more quickly than others.

Bipolar disorder affects both men and women at the same rate. The prevalence rates is of approximately 1.3%.

The cause of bipolar disorder is not entirely known. Genetic, neurochemical and environmental factors probably interact at many levels to play a role in the onset and progression of bipolar disorder. The current thinking is that this is a predominantly biological disorder that occurs in a specific part of the brain and is due to a malfunction of the neurotransmitters (chemical messengers in the brain). As a biological disorder, it may lie dormant and be activated spontaneously or it may be triggered by stressors in life.

Current treatments include the use of mood stabilizers, anticonvulsants and anti-psychotics, either alone or in combination in different phases of the disease. Unmet medical needs include: improved maintenance therapy, bipolar depression and side effects of current drugs.