Alcohol and mental health

Posted on July 28, 2016 by JmaC

Alcohol and mental health

Alcohol has been an important part of our society and culture for many centuries. Across the UK, people of all ages drink various amounts of alcohol, with both positive as well as negative effects in the short and longer term.1

What effect can alcohol have on us?

The reason we drink and the consequences of excessive drinking are linked with our mental health. Mental health problems not only result from drinking too much alcohol, they can also cause people to drink too much.2

There is some evidence that has associated light to moderate alcohol consumption with a reduced risk of multiple cardiovascular outcomes (alcohol consumption at 1 drink a day).3  Light-to-moderate alcohol consumption also seems to improve performance on cognitive tests.4

However there is much more evidence showing that drinking too much alcohol leads to serious physical and mental illnesses.5,6

Put very simply, a major reason for drinking alcohol is to change our mood – or our mental state.7 Alcohol can temporarily alleviate feelings of anxiety and depression and people often use it a form of ‘self-medication’ in an attempt to cheer themselves up or sometimes help with sleep.8 Drinking to deal with difficult feelings or symptoms of mental illness is sometimes called ‘self-medication’ by people in the mental health field. This is often why people with mental health problems drink. But it can make existing mental health problems worse.9 It can also be used as a form of coping for severe mental illness.10

Alcohol problems are more common among people with more severe mental health problems. This does not necessarily mean that alcohol causes severe mental illness. Evidence shows that people who consume high amounts of alcohol are vulnerable to increased risk of developing mental health problems and alcohol consumption can be a contributing factor to some mental health problems, such as depression.11

How does drinking affect our mood and mental health?

Drinking lowers inhibition. Typically, excessive alcohol consumption means fewer personal constraints are in place. Additionally, alcohol can disrupt our body’s ability to rest, resulting in our body needing to work harder to break down the alcohol in our system. This interference of alcohol with sleep patterns can lead to reduced energy levels.12

Alcohol also depresses the central nervous system, and this can make our moods fluctuate. It can also help ‘numb’ our emotions, so we can avoid difficult issues in our lives.13

Alcohol can also reveal or intensify our underlying feelings, such as evoking past memories of trauma or sparking any repressed feelings which are associated with painful events of the past. These memories can be so powerful that they create overwhelming anxiety, depression or shame. Re-living these memories and dark feelings whilst under the influence of alcohol can pose a threat to personal safety as well as the safety of others.14

What about the after effects?

One of the main problems associated with using alcohol to deal with mental health problems is that regular consumption of alcohol changes the chemistry of the brain. It decreases the levels of the brain chemical serotonin – a key chemical in depression. As a result of this depletion, a cyclical process begins where one drinks to relieve depression, which causes serotonin levels in the brain to be depleted, leading to one feeling even more depressed, and thus necessitating even more alcohol to then medicate this depression.15

 

How much is too much?

Current recommended ‘sensible drinking’ limits are three to four units a day for men and two to three units a day for women.

  • 1 pint beer (5% vol) = 3 units
  • 1 pint lager (3% vol) = 2 units
  • 1 small glass wine (12% vol) = 2 units
  • 1 measure spirit (40% vol) = 1 unit

 

How do I get help?

The following organisations provide help to people who have or think they may have problems consuming too much alcohol.

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Bipolar Disorder

Posted on July 28, 2016 by JmaC

Bipolar disorder

About 1 in every 100 adults have bipolar disorder, formerly known as manic depression, at some point in their life with the majority of people developing this condition between the ages of 15-19.1

Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder characterised by swings in a person’s mood from high to low – euphoric to depressed.2

In the high phase (mania or hypomania), someone with bipolar disorder may have huge amounts of energy and feel little need for sleep. They may think and talk faster than usual, and their thoughts may jump rapidly from one subject to another, making them easily distracted and conversation difficult.

They may also experience what are called ‘grandiose’ ideas or delusions about their abilities and powers, and a loss of judgement. People in a high phase can be increasingly goal directed, meaning they can get themselves into difficulties that they would normally avoid – they may leave their job, spend money they don’t have, engage in high-risk situations or give away possessions.3

In a low (or depressive) phase, people have feelings of depression which can leave them feeling hopeless; despairing and lethargic; full of self-blame and self-doubt; and have difficulty concentrating. This can make it difficult to cope with everyday life. People may withdraw from friends and social contacts, and they may feel suicidal.4

What are the signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder?

Symptoms of mania and hypomania include:

  • increased energy, activity and restlessness
  • extreme irritability
  • racing thoughts and talking very fast
  • little sleep needed
  • unrealistic beliefs about one’s abilities and powers
  • a lasting period of behaviour which is different from the usual
  • provocative, intrusive and aggressive behaviour
  • spending sprees.

Symptoms of depression and dysthyma include:

  • lasting sad, anxious or empty mood
  • feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
  • decreased energy, a feeling of fatigue or of being slowed down
  • difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions
  • restlessness or irritability
  • sleeping too much, or can’t sleep
  • change in appetite and/or unintended weight loss or gain
  • thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts.

Other symptoms can include:

  • hallucinations (hearing, seeing, or otherwise sensing the presence of things that are not actually there and cannot be sensed by others)
  • delusions (false, strongly held beliefs not influenced by logical reasoning or explained by a person’s usual cultural concepts)
  • inability to communicate due to markedly speeded up, slowed down or distorted speech (thought disorder, flight of ideas, psychomotor slowing).5

The different types of bipolar

There are different types of bipolar disorder:

Bipolar I
  • If you have had at least one high or manic episode, which has lasted for longer than one week.
  • You may only have manic episodes, although most people with Bipolar I also have periods of depression.
  • Untreated, a manic episode will generally last 3 to 6 months.
  • Depressive episodes last rather longer – 6 to 12 months without treatment.
Bipolar II

If you have had more than one episode of severe depression, but only mild manic episodes – these are called ‘hypomania’.

Rapid Cycling

If you have more than four mood swings in a 12 month period. This affects around 1 in 10 people with bipolar disorder, and can happen with both type I and type II.

Cyclothymia

The mood swings are not as severe as those in full bipolar disorder, but can be longer. This can develop into full bipolar disorder.

How common is bipolar?

About one in 100 people are diagnosed as having bipolar disorder7. While most people with bipolar disorder will experience a manic episode at least once along with a depressed phase, some people experience only ‘pure depression’ and do not experience the mania associated with bipolar disorder, or they may experience ‘pure mania’ and do not experience depressive symptoms or may only experience mild depression.8,9

What causes bipolar?

The cause of bipolar disorder is not entirely known. What we do know is that biological, psychological and social factors interact with one another and play a role in the onset and progression of bipolar disorder.

Genetic factors

Approximately half of people with bipolar disorder have a family member with a mood disorder, such as depression.10 However, just because there is an association to a family history of mental health problems this doesn’t necessarily mean it causes bipolar disorder.

Brain chemicals

Studies have shown that there is a relationship between brain chemistry and bipolar disorder and that bipolar disorder may be triggered by external factors such as psychological stress and social circumstances which can impact on certain neurotransmitters or chemical messengers in the brain.11

Environmental factors

Those with bipolar disorder may find that they can link the start of an episode to a period of great stress, such as childbirth, a relationship breakdown, money problems or a career change. Some experts believe bipolar disorder is linked to the experience of severe emotional trauma in early life, such as physical, sexual or emotional abuse.

Grief, loss, trauma and neglect can all be contributing factors.12

Treatment and support

There are several approaches available for the treatment of bipolar disorder, which most often include a combination of medication and psychotherapy. The main treatment for an episode of mania or hypomania is typically antipsychotic medications, while treatment for depression in people with bipolar may be psychological therapy on its own or combined with medication.13

Medication

There are different medications that have been found to be effective for people with bipolar disorder to manage symptoms. It’s important to discuss medication with a psychiatrist and to explore the different options that may be available, including any side effects.14

Some of the options are:

  • Lithium: this is the most common and effective type of mood stabiliser used for treating bipolar disorder. The difficulty is getting the level of lithium in the body right. Too low and it won’t work, too high and it becomes toxic. You will need regular blood tests in the first few weeks to make sure you are getting the right dose. Some of the side effects that can occur with taking lithium can include feeling thirsty, passing more urine than usual and weight gain.
  • Anti-convulsant drugs: examples of these include, sodium valproate and lamotrigine (used to treat epilepsy) have also been found to be effective in controlling moods. It’s important to discuss with your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to have a baby as valproate and lamotrigine can have negative side effects.
  • Anti-psychotic medication: examples of these include, olanzapine and quetiapine.15

Talking Therapies

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) works best for handling specific ‘thought errors’ and behaviours. For example, if a teenager with bipolar disorder tends to catastrophize when depressed, seeing only the negative side of everything and then becoming further depressed as a result, cognitive therapy can help them find strategies for breaking this negative thought pattern.

These strategies might include the use of affirmations, consulting with the therapist or another trusted adult to double-check negative thoughts, or mentally substituting positive thoughts for the negative ones. CBT has also shown effectiveness for educating bipolar patients about monitoring their mood cycles and symptoms, and for encouraging treatment compliance.16

Peer support and self-management

Peer support and self-management can have a positive impact on mental health and as medical treatment for people with mental health problems, including those experiencing bi-polar disorder. The Mental Health Foundation’s peer-led self-management training, which was developed and delivered by mental health service users for people with psychiatric conditions (including those with bipolar) showed improvements in wellbeing and health promoting lifestyle activity as well as the potential for long-term health outcomes.17

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Agoraphobia

Posted on July 28, 2016 by JmaC

Agoraphobia

A phobia is an obsessive fear of an object or situation that exists over a long period of time. People with phobias have no rational explanation for their fears, and often there is no discernible cause. People with phobias worry about imagined events that are unlikely to happen in reality or are only a remote possibility. Phobias can cause a range of symptoms from mild anxiety to debilitating symptoms similar to those of panic disorders.

 

What is Agoraphobia

Agoraphobia is not, as many people believe, just about open spaces. It is really a fear of being in any place or situation where the sufferer does not feel safe or where they feel trapped.  This may mean that they avoid these places and are driven by an uncontrollable urge to escape to a place of safety, in most places cases his/her own home.

Taking all these factors into account, it is not surprising that sufferers of agoraphobia do not venture very far from home. Agoraphobics tend to be afraid of losing control in certain situations and being negatively judged by others.

Some Agoraphobics find they can get further from their place of safety if accompanied by a trusted friend.  Others prefer being on their own so that they don’t inconvenience anyone if they feel the need to escape.

It is not surprising that sufferers try to avoid these awful sensations caused by the rise in adrenaline related to their stress and fear. Regrettably by doing so they are reinforcing their fears.

 

Common situations avoided by agoraphobics.

  • Travelling
  • Shopping, any situation where queuing is involved
  • Keeping appointment, hospital dentist, hairdresser etc.
  • Visiting friends or inviting friends to visit
  • Attending family celebrations
  • Attending school, lectures or employment

 

Understanding the Fear Factor

All phobias are centre round our natural reactions to fear.  Phobias sufferers are really afraid of the feelings of fear that accompany their feared situation.  Nearly all phobias are centered round around situations, places, object or animals which cannot possibly harm them.

Fear is a natural response in all of us.  It keeps us safe by making sure that most of the time we are not in dangerous situations.  However sometimes when we are not thinking about what we are doing, we do things that are dangerous, e.g. stepping off the pavement without looking and almost getting run over.  The vehicle, as it is getting close, will probably sound its horn and our ‘fear response’ will get us out of danger.  The shock to our system, when something like this happens, is enormous and very unpleasant.  This may cause us to have some unpleasant symptoms, sweating, shaking, trembling, feeling nauseous, and our heart pounds.  Without our fear response we would not have reacted but stood where we were in the road and the consequence of that is not hard to imagine.

Fear is a skill, which we have learned as we grow up.  How many times do we see children run onto a busy road?  They have not learned the fear response.

It can be seen clearly that fear in the right place is essential to our well being.  Without it I doubt if most of us would survive very long.  Having established that that we need to survive, what has this to do with phobias?  The answer is that, over a long period of time, sufferers have learnedtoo much fear so they can be so frightened when there is nothing to be afraid of.

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Struggling with stress

Posted on July 28, 2016 by JmaC

Struggling with stress?

Stress

Media last reviewed: 12/05/2016

Next review due: 12/05/2018

What is stress?

Stress is the feeling of being under too much mental or emotional pressure.

Pressure turns into stress when you feel unable to cope. People have different ways of reacting to stress, so a situation that feels stressful to one person may be motivating to someone else.

Many of life’s demands can cause stress, particularlywork, relationships and money problems. And, when you feel stressed, it can get in the way of sorting out these demands, or can even affect everything you do.

Stress can affect how you feel, think, behave and how your body works. In fact, common signs of stress include sleeping problems, sweating, loss of appetite and difficulty concentrating.

You may feel anxious, irritable or low in self esteem, and you may have racing thoughts, worry constantly or go over things in your head. You may notice that you lose your temper more easily, drink more or act unreasonably.

You may also experience headaches, muscle tension or pain, or dizziness.

Stress causes a surge of hormones in your body. These stress hormones are released to enable you to deal with pressures or threats – the so-called “fight or flight” response.

Once the pressure or threat has passed, your stress hormone levels will usually return to normal. However, if you’re constantly under stress, these hormones will remain in your body, leading to the symptoms of stress.

Managing stress in daily life

Stress is not an illness itself, but it can cause serious illness if it isn’t addressed. It’s important to recognise the symptoms of stress early. Recognising the signs and symptoms of stress will help you figure out ways of coping and save you from adopting unhealthy coping methods, such as drinking or smoking.

There is little you can do to prevent stress, but there are many things you can do to manage stress more effectively, such as learning how to relax, taking regular exercise and adopting good time-management techniques.

Studies have found that mindfulness courses, where participants are taught simple meditations across a series of weeks, can also help to reduce stress and improve mood.

Read more about mindfulness.

When to see your GP about your stress levels

If you’ve tried self-help techniques and they aren’t working, you should go to see your GP. They may suggest other coping techniques for you to try or recommend some form of counselling orcognitive behavioural therapy.

If your stress is causing serious health problems, such as high blood pressure, you may need to take medication or further tests.

Mental health issues, including stress, anxiety and depression, are the reason for one-in-five visits to a GP.

Recognising your stress triggers

If you’re not sure what’s causing your stress, keep a diary and make a note of stressful episodes for two-to-four weeks. Then review it to spot the triggers.

Things you might want to write down include:

  • the date, time and place of a stressful episode
  • what you were doing
  • who you were with
  • how you felt emotionally
  • what you were thinking
  • what you started doing
  • how you felt physically
  • a stress rating (0-10 where 10 is the most stressed you could ever feel)

You can use the diary to:

  • work out what triggers your stress
  • work out how you operate under pressure
  • develop better coping mechanisms

Doctors sometimes recommend keeping a stress diary to help them diagnose stress.

Take action to tackle stress

There’s no quick-fix cure for stress, and no single method will work for everyone. However, there are simple things you can do to change the common life problems that can cause stress or make stress a problem. These include relaxation techniques, exercise and talking the issues through.

Find out more by checking out these 10 stress busters.

Get stress support

Because talking through the issues is one of the key ways to tackle stress, you may find it useful to attend a stress management group or class. These are sometimes run in doctors’ surgeries or community centres. The classes help people identify the cause of their stress and develop effective coping techniques.

Ask your GP for more information if you’re interested in attending a stress support group. You can also use the search directory to find emotional support services in your area.

Read how ‘workaholic’ Arvind learned to deal with stress.

Page last reviewed: 17/07/2014

Next review due: 17/09/2016

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Talking therapies explained

Posted on July 28, 2016 by JmaC

Talking therapies explained

The term ‘talking therapy’ covers all the psychological therapies that involve a person talking to a therapist about their problems.

For some problems and conditions, one type of talking therapy may be better than another. Different talking therapies also suit different people.

Below is a brief explanation of some common talking treatments and how they can help. Your GP or mental health worker can help you decide which one would be best for you.

Counselling

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Psychotherapy

Family therapy

Couples therapy

Group therapy

Interpersonal therapy

Behavioural activation

Mindfulness-based therapies

Counselling

Counselling is probably the best-known talking therapy and the one most likely to be available on the NHS at your GP surgery.

Counselling on the NHS usually consists of 6 to 12 sessions, each an hour long. You talk in confidence to a counsellor, who helps you to think about your situation.

Counselling is ideal for people who are basically healthy, but need help coping with a current crisis, such as:

Read more about counselling.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

The aim of CBT is to help you think more positively about life and free yourself from unhelpful patterns of behaviour.

In CBT, you set goals with your therapist and may carry out tasks between sessions. A course typically involves around 6 to 15 sessions, which last about an hour each.

Like counselling, CBT deals with current situations more than events in your past or childhood.

CBT has been shown to work for a variety of mental health problems. This doesn’t mean it’s better than other therapies – it’s just that others may not have been studied as much

In particular, CBT can help with:

CBT is available on the NHS for people with depression, anxiety and other mental health problems that it has been proven to help.

Read more about talking therapies on the NHS.

There are also self-help books and computer courses based on CBT to help you overcome common problems like depression.

Find out about CBT.

Psychotherapy

Unlike counselling and CBT, psychotherapy involves talking more about how your past influences what happens in the present and the choices you make. It tends to last longer than CBT and counselling. Sessions are an hour long and can continue for a year or more.

There are different types of psychotherapy, but they all aim to help you understand more about yourself, improve your relationships and get more out of life. Psychotherapy can be especially useful for people with long-term or recurring problems to find the cause of their difficulties.

There’s some evidence that psychotherapy can help depression and some eating disorders.

NHS psychotherapists normally work in a hospital or clinic, where you’ll see them as an outpatient. Private psychotherapists often work from home.

Family therapy

In family therapy, a therapist (or pair of therapists) works with the whole family. The therapist explores their views and relationships to understand the problems the family is having. It helps family members communicate better with each other.

Sessions can last from 45 minutes to an hour-and-a-half, and usually take place several weeks apart.

You may be offered family therapy if the whole family is in difficulty. This may be because one member of the family has a serious problem that’s affecting the rest of the family. Family therapists deal with lots of different issues, including:

Relationship counselling

Relationship counselling, or couples therapy, can help when a relationship is in crisis (after an affair, for example). Both partners talk in confidence to a counsellor or therapist to explore what has gone wrong in the relationship and how to change things for the better. It can help couples learn more about each other’s needs and communicate better.

Ideally, both partners should attend the weekly hour-long sessions, but they can still help if just one person attends.

See how relationship counselling saved one couple’s marriage.

Group therapy

In group therapy, up to around 12 people meet, together with a therapist. It’s a useful way for people who share a common problem to get support and advice from each other. It can help you realise you’re not alone in your experiences, which is itself beneficial.

Some people prefer to be part of a group or find that it suits them better than individual therapy.

Interpersonal therapy

This is a talking treatment that helps people with depression to identify and address problems in their relationships with family, partners and friends.

Behavioural activation

Behavioural activation is a talking therapy that encourages people to develop more positive behaviour, such as planning activities and doing constructive things that they would usually avoid doing.

Mindfulness-based therapies

Mindfulness-based therapies help you focus on your thoughts and feelings without becoming overwhelmed by them. They can be used to help treat depression, stress, anxiety and addiction.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) incorporates techniques such as meditation, gentle yoga and mind-body exercises to help people learn how to cope with stress.

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) combines mindfulness techniques like meditation and breathing exercises with cognitive therapy. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends MBCT to help people avoid repeated bouts of depression.

Read more about mindfulness.

Mental and emotional health: talking therapies

Learn about different talking therapies that can help people overcome a range of problems, from depression to stress. Tip: check with your GP whether there are any Improving Access to Psychological Treatment (IAPT) services in your area.

Media last reviewed: 26/05/2015

Next review due: 26/05/2017

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I can clearly see

Posted on July 28, 2016 by JmaC

I CAN CLEARLY SEE

To lie awake each night
Body aching
Yearning
Almost screaming for rest

But how can I drift away
Softly slip into slumber
When my thoughts run wild and free

The night has become the dawn for my imagination
The stars hold the key to my inspiration
In the darkness I can clearly see.

 

JmaC

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Focus

Posted on July 28, 2016 by JmaC

FOCUS

It’s not everyday that we catch a glimpse of the sun waking up
Or going to bed.

There is beauty all around us
That we don’t often see
We just focus on misery.

 

JmaC

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Be Happy Positive Affirmations

Posted on July 28, 2016 by JmaC
Present Tense Affirmations
I am full of joy
I am happy
I see happiness wherever I go
I have boundless positive energy within me
I am grateful for my life
I see the good in everything
I am full of positive energy
I am happy with who I am
I have a great life
Others are drawn to me because I am so full of life

 

Future Tense Affirmations
I am starting to feel happier
Others are beginning to notice how happy and positive I am
I will be thankful for each day
I will become happy and spread positive energy to others
I am finding that I feel joyful on a daily basis
I will always be optimistic and have a positive outlook
I will always see the bright side of life, especially in difficult situations
I will nurture a deep sense of internal happiness within myself
My life is getting better all the time
I am noticing that I feel more optimistic about life

 

Natural Affirmations
I am a naturally happy person
Life just feels great all the time
I can easily pick myself up and lift my spirits when needed
Being optimistic comes easily to me
I am the one that others look to for reassurance during difficult times
Great things always seem to come my way
I feel a natural sense of peace and happiness within myself
Being happy all the time is normal for me
I choose to have a positive view of myself and others
I am filled with a sense of gratitude for being alive
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Looking For Clues in Reward Circuits of Bipolar and Depressed Patients

Posted on July 28, 2016 by JmaC

From The Quarterly, Spring 2015

When people with bipolar disorder experience depressive episodes, the reward circuits in their brains show impairments similar to those that affect people diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD), scientists reported March 13th in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology. When these circuits are weakened, people’s ability to experience pleasure diminishes.

Most clinical studies exploring how depression affects the brain have focused on people with MDD. Because patients with the two disorders may respond differently to antidepressant medications, it’s important to understand the neurobiology of both groups in order to develop effective treatments.

A team* of scientists at the University of Pennsylvania and the National Institute of Mental Health, led by 2010 NARSAD Young Investigator grantee Theodore Satterthwaite, M.D., andDaniel H. Wolf, M.D., Ph.D., a 2005 Young Investigator Grantee, used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to compare how the brain’s reward circuits work in depressed patients with the two disorders. Their analysis included 23 people with bipolar depression, 22 with major depressive disorder, and 32 healthy controls.
The researchers first examined reward circuits while study participants played a card game in which they earned money by correctly guessing whether cards were red or black. Money was lost for incorrect guesses. In healthy participants, winning money activated the reward-processing parts of their brains more strongly than losing money. These responses were less robust for depressed patients. The more severe a patient’s depression, regardless of their clinical diagnosis, the less their reward system responded. The team also examined reward circuits in their resting state, when study participants were not performing any activity expected to activate those parts of the brain.

In patients with bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder, connections between different reward processing regions of the brain were weaker than they were in people without depression. This weakening was greater in patients with more severe depression in both groups.

The scientists did find differences between the two groups of depressed patients. Winning money activated a reward center––the ventral striatum––more strongly in patients with bipolar disorder than it did in those with major depressive disorder. And the strength of certain circuit connections was stronger in patients with bipolar disorder than it was in patients with major depressive disorder. These differences might reflect the two groups’ different risks for manic episodes, during which reward responses appear to be heightened rather than dampened, the scientists say.

Why is it so important to distinguish among brain responses to reward? First, symptoms of depression–– which may be more linked to reward-system dysfunction such as loss of pleasure––tend to be less responsive to standard treatments. “Attenuated reward system response may therefore evolve to be a useful biomarker in drug discovery and clinical trials for mood disorders,” Dr. Satterthwaite says. Second, because many people with bipolar disorder first seek clinical help during depressive episodes, identifying differences between bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder could help ensure patients are accurately diagnosed from the start and receive treatment specifically designed to relieve their symptoms.

*Additional Foundation-funded team members: Claudia F. Baldassano, M.D., 2003 Young Investigator (YI) Yvette I. Sheline, M.D., 1998 YI, 2002 and 2005 Independent Investigator; Scientific Council (SC) Member Ruben C. Gur, Ph.D., 2007 Distinguished Investigator (DI) Raquel E. Gur, M.D., 1999 DI Ellen Leibenluft, M.D., SC Member

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Genes Linked to Abnormal Brain Waves in Schizophrenia, Psychotic Bipolar Disorder

Posted on July 28, 2016 by JmaC

Researchers have identified several sets of genes linked with abnormal brainwave patterns in people with schizophrenia and psychotic bipolar disorder (PBD). The results reported June 23rd in Translational Psychiatry can help experts learn more about the genetic changes that underlie these disorders and determine whether the same sets of genes are involved in each.

The research was led by Balaji Narayanan, Ph.D., of Olin Neuropsychiatry Research Center, Hartford Hospital, and Yale University, and Godfrey D. Pearlson, M.D., also of Olin Neuropsychiatry Research Center and Yale University. Dr. Pearlson is a Foundation Scientific Council member and a 2000 recipient of a NARSAD Distinguished Investigator grant.

Brainwaves—sometimes called oscillations—are different frequencies of electrical activity in neurons that are related to specific functions in the brain. For instance, theta brainwaves represent learning and memory activity, delta brainwaves are linked to the body’s metabolism, and alpha brainwaves reflect the brain’s “idling” mode. Scientists measure brainwaves with an electroencephalogram or EEG, a technology that records electrical activity using sensors on the scalp.

Earlier studies have shown that people with schizophrenia and PBD have abnormalities in some of these brainwaves, and that these are also found in some of their relatives. To learn more about what causes these abnormalities, Dr. Pearlson and his colleagues compared EEG data and genetic material taken from blood samples of 105 people with schizophrenia, 145 people with PBD, and 56 healthy people. Participants were drawn from the multi-site BSNIP (Bipolar-Schizophrenia Network on Intermediate Phenotypes) study. The team analyzed these data to find out if certain groups of genes were linked to abnormal brainwave patterns.

The researchers uncovered abnormal theta and delta brainwaves in the schizophrenia and PBD patients, although the theta pattern was different in the two disorders. These theta and delta abnormalities were linked with sets of genes that help build new connections between brain cells and control communication pathways between these cells.

The study gives researchers some new leads to follow in understanding the underlying genetics of these disorders. But Dr. Pearlson and colleagues caution that other factors might influence the connection between genes and brainwave patterns, including how severe a patient’s condition might be, and whether he or she is taking antipsychotic medication.

Other team members include Carol A. Tamminga, M.D., a Scientific Council member who received the Distinguished Investigator grant in 1998 and 2010; 1997 Independent Investigator recipients John A. Sweeney, Ph.D. and Matcheri S. Keshavan, M.D.; Brett A. Clementz, Ph.D., a 2000 NARSAD Independent Investigator grant recipient; and Vince D. Calhoun, Ph.D., a 2004 NARSAD Young Investigator recipient.

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