The Causes of Manic Depression

Manic depression is a mood disorder in which people alternate between extreme highs and extreme lows. This condition is now known as bipolar disorder. Researchers do not know what causes this mental illness, but there is evidence that many factors contribute to the disorder. Heredity plays a part in causing manic depression in some people, as does the person's environment or lifestyle. Another important factor is the biochemical changes that take place in the body. The causes of mood disorders are different in every person but perhaps in time more definitive causes of manic depression can be found.

Heredity

In some situations, manic depression runs in families. A person who has a close relative who suffers from depression or bipolar disorder has a higher risk of becoming manic depressive. While scientists have not yet found the bipolar gene that they continue to look for, it does seem that in a small percentage of families, manic depression can be inherited.

Biochemical Changes in Brain

The brain has many chemicals, according to the Mayo Clinic. These chemicals are called neurotransmitters and they send messages to and from the brain. Scientists aren't certain of how all these biochemicals function in the brain, but a few chemicals like serotonin have been researched at length. Serotonin is associated with mood, emotions and behavior. When the levels of these biochemical's fluctuate, mood swings are possible and manic depression symptoms may develop.

Physical Changes in the Brain

Researchers have noticed that some people with manic depression have brains that are physically different from those without the mood disorder. High-tech images of brains reveal these differences. At this point, scientists are still unclear about what these physical changes mean. Scientists do not know if the physical changes cause manic depression or if the manic depression causes the brain's changes.

Lifestyle and Environmental Changes

Stress can trigger manic depression symptoms. Any event is a person's life, whether good or bad, can cause stress. A wedding, the birth of a child or a new job can cause mood swings as easily as a death in the family, a divorce or job loss. These environmental changes can have a profound affect on a person's emotional stability.

Hormonal Changes

The body has numerous hormones that regulate and affect various bodily processes. Various hormones, including estrogen, progesterone and testosterone, fluctuate in the body and this can cause manic depression. These fluctuating hormones are thought to affect emotions and moods.