People who carry many lipids containing arachidonic acid are less likely to develop bipolar disorder.
- Bipolar disorder is a chronic mental illness responsible for mood disorders, most often with alternating states of elation and very disabling depression.
- A certain category of lipids has been linked to a reduced risk of bipolar disorder, according to a new study.
- “As arachidonic acid is synthesized from linoleic acid in the liver, this suggests that arachidonic acid synthesis pathways are important for bipolar disorder,” said study author David Stacey (University of South Australia).
A certain category of lipids has been associated with a reduced risk of bipolar disorder, according to a new investigation.
The researchers used a method called “Mendelian randomization”, which uses genetic variants as tools to infer causal relationships between exposures (in this case, metabolite levels) and outcomes (here, bipolar disorder). They used data from large studies involving a total of 913 metabolites and 413,000 participants (41,917 of whom were diagnosed with bipolar disorder).
They looked at the levels of various metabolites in the blood and their associations with the risk of bipolar disorder.
33 metabolites associated with bipolar disorder
The study identified 33 metabolites associated with bipolar disorder, most of which were lipids. One of the key findings was that a genetic predisposition to higher levels of lipids containing arachidonic acid was linked to a lower risk of bipolar disorder. Conversely, lower levels of lipids containing arachidonic acid were associated with a higher risk of developing this mental illness.
“Since arachidonic acid is synthesized from linoleic acid in the liver, this suggests that arachidonic acid synthesis pathways are important for bipolar disorder,” said study author David Stacey (University of South Australia).
“To our knowledge, our study is the first to highlight a potential causal role between arachidonic acid and bipolar disorder,” he adds. “Preclinical studies and randomized controlled trials will be needed to determine the preventive or therapeutic value of arachidonic acid supplements, perhaps with particular emphasis on individuals whose arachidonic acid synthesis pathway is compromised or whose natural dietary sources are poor,” he believes.
Lipids: What is Bipolar Disorder?
Bipolar disorder is a chronic mental illness responsible for mood disorders, most often with alternating states of elation and very disabling depression.
Bipolar disorder most often begins in early adulthood. It typically begins with a depressive episode in women and a manic episode in men.