Low protein levels in parts of the brain linked to bipolar disorder
Patients who live with bipolar disorder can buy Canadian Zyprexa to help avert their disease's characteristically dangerous mood swings and live a functional life.
Patients who live with bipolar disorder can buy Canadian Zyprexa to help avert their disease's characteristically dangerous mood swings and live a functional life. Scientific research continues to investigate how this illness works in order to understand how to treat it. A new study discovered that low levels of a certain protein in different parts of the brain may play a role in bipolar disorder.
A bi-national team of scientists from the U.S. and Spain examined 20 brains that were obtained post-mortem. Half of subjects had bipolar disorder, while the rest served as controls. Previous research suggested that the prefontal cortex and cerebellum of the brain undergo changes in bipolar disorder, leading the scientists to focus on these areas.
Results showed that these brain regions had low levels of the protein SP4 in bipolar patients, as published in the journal Bipolar Disorders. SP4 is a transcription factor that helps regulate gene expression. Past studies linked SP4 to the development of nerve cells. This relationship, combined with the new finding, indicate that lower levels of SP4 in the brain may modify the pattern of nerve cells.
Furthermore, laboratory tests demonstrated that the breakdown of SP4 could be inhibited by lithium, another medication for bipolar disorder.
"Our study adds to the growing body of evidence that alterations in gene regulation contribute to the development of psychiatric disorders," said co-author Belen Ramos, PhD.
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