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Comorbidities common in bipolar disorder, may have genetic link

"While the symptoms of bipolar disorder can be disabling on their own, most patients with the condition also are afflicted with a variety of other psychiatric, substance use and physical disorders. These comorbid conditions can complicate treatment and diagnosis. Research findings on genetic links between bipolar disorder and other conditions and the incidence of such comorbidities will be presented at the Seventh International Conference on Bipolar Disorder and will be discussed at a press briefing at 1:15 p.m., Friday, June 8."

It would be interesting to know if some of these comorbidities are results of some common underlying cause.

Amaranth wrote:

"It would be interesting to know if some of these comorbidities are results of some common underlying cause".

I'd be very surprised if there weren't some genetic element involved. And as we've discussed elsewhere genes are very complex in their effects. There would be environmental factors at work too. The genes just pre-dispose one to the condition. It may even have had some survival value in earlier human societies. In that case it would be a product of evolution.

I'll second that Terry!

Many disorders (which I prefer to think of as variations) have associated diseases, which are pretty well demonstrated to be genetic in origin.
Offhand I can think of how Asperger's Syndrome is linked with associated digestive and other psychiatric symptoms.

...or is it vice versa?

~SA