Relationship Parent with Bipolar Disorder, Heredity and Cortisol

Bipolar disorder or commonly known as manic depression, is a disease characterized by a change in an extreme mood, energy, thoughts, and behaviors. Mother or fathers who are affected by bipolar disorder have the possibility that their children will also be affected by bipolar disorder. They need to maintain stress levels of their children and can be checked to early detection. A latest international study, conducted by Concordia University, shows that cortisol as a stress hormone is a key player in mood disorders.

Cortisol is a stress hormone produced by the body in response to anxiety and cortisol cortisol is often used by researchers to monitor the biological response to stress.

"Previous research has shown that parents with bipolar disorder have children who are experiencing similar problems four times greater than their mood disorder, without any conditions," said senior author Mark Ellenbogen, Canada Research Chair in Development Psychopathology at Concordia University and a member than Human Development Research center.

Ellenbogen and colleagues had previously said that parents who are affected by bipolar disorder, have children with higher cortisol levels than them and are not affected by that condition. The current study measured cortisol levels in the same individuals over a period of chronic and episodic stress. In both circumstances, the children of parents with bipolar disorder showed a greater increase in cortisol compared to parents without the disorder.

Their research shows that children who have biological factors are more sensitive to the experience of stress in their environment as experienced by their parents. This high reactivity to stress may be one explanation why the heredity can develop the disorder and is a clear risk factor to become ill in the future.And early detection a symptoms of bipolar mood disorder in children is needed. And treatment for bipolar disorder in children would be optimal if done immediately

"We thought we might begin to understand where we can intervene to actually prevent mood disorders can increase and expand," said Ellenbogen. "We believe this sensitivity cortisol that trigger bipolar disorder develops during childhood and we suspected that if you could teach both parents and those heredity about how to overcome stress how to manage problems before they turn into significant stress and hassle, it will have a profound impact.”