- Arachidonic acid, a polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acid, could be a key driver of bipolar disorder, according to a new study.
- Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition in which a person experiences intense bouts of manic highs and depressive lows that are often highly disruptive to their lives.
- Arachidonic acid is found in foods and human milk, suggesting that dietary interventions could help reduce the incidence and intensity of bipolar disorder.
When a person has bipolar disorder, they are overcome by an alternating cycle of extreme emotional highs and lows.
The condition can severely affect a person’s livelihood, as the highs are characterized by an unrealistic sense of invincibility, and the lows by debilitating depression.
The causes of bipolar disorder may vary, but it is believed the condition may be related to genetic factors.
A new study presents evidence that bipolar disorder (BPD) may be at least partially a product of low levels of
Arachidonic acid is a polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acid. Lipids are fatty or waxy and water-insoluble substances in the body responsible for various key functions.
The researchers found that higher levels of arachidonic acid correlated to a lower incidence of bipolar disorder.
The findings are published in Biological Psychiatry.
Using publicly available metabolomic data from 14,296 European individuals, the authors of the study tested 913 circulating metabolites for a link to bipolar disorder, identifying 33 that are associated with the condition.
Most of the metabolites, including arachidonic acid, were lipids.
No association was found between the lipids and other disorders such as schizophrenia or depression.
The researchers found a slight suggestion of a connection to the regulation of a…
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