Potential neurotoxic effects of bipolar disorder

Researchers have demonstrated that the serum of patients suffering from Bipolar disorder (BD) may be toxic to human neuronal cells and affect their connectivity ability. The study, published in the International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology recently, was performed by a group led by Fabio Klamt (Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil) and Flávio Kapczinski (Clinics Hospital of Porto Alegre, Brazil). The team demonstrated that differentiated neurons exposed to serum from bipolar patients exhibited a significant loss in neurite density compared to those exposed to healthy donor blood. BD is a severe and complex mental illness characterized by alternating episodes...