Bipolar affective disorder consists of fluctuating moods of excessive happiness and extreme sadness. It usually manifests by the age of 28, although children, adolescents or seniors may be affected. Approximately 1 percent of the population is believed to have bipolar affective disorder, according to The Organization for Bipolar Affective Disorder. While the exact cause of the disorder is unknown, it is believed that genetics along with environmental stressors play a role in the onset of the condition.
Genetics
Bipolar affective disorder tends to run in families, suggesting that it is hereditary. The website Health Central states that people who are related to someone with bipolar affective disorder are more likely to develop the disorder themselves than people with no family history of the condition. It is believed that more than one gene contributes to the onset bipolar affective disorder, but scientists are still trying to figure out what genes make an individual or family vulnerable to the condition.
Impaired Neurons
Impaired neurons play a significant role in the development of bipolar affective disorder. People who have bipolar affective disorder have a chemical imbalance in the brain, according to the G. Werber Bryan Psychiatric Hospital located in Columbia, South Carolina. This disorder occurs as a result of a neuron imbalance. Neurons transmit messages from the brain to other parts of the body. Bipolar affective disorder occurs when a deficiency in neurons prevents the brain from regulating emotions, resulting in rapidly fluctuating periods of extreme happiness and severe despair, notes The Organization for Bipolar Affective Disorder.
Environmental Stressors
Environmental stress may contribute to the development of bipolar affective disorder, according to the website Teens Health. It has been suggested that stress is a leading factor in the onset of bipolar affective disorder. People with this disorder have a chemical imbalance that causes them to become extremely vulnerable to emotional and physical stressors. A death in the family, a parents' divorce, a medical condition or illness, or marital tension can trigger an individual's first bipolar affective episode. In addition, hormonal changes such as puberty, a monthly cycle or pregnancy may activate the disorder in females.
