The Science & Treatment of Bipolar Disorder | Huberman Lab Podcast #82

Neural Circuits

The neural circuits involved in bipolar disorder reveal significant insights into the condition's impact on mood and perception. Andrew Huberman explains that individuals with bipolar disorder experience atrophy in neural connections, particularly affecting interoception, the ability to perceive internal states like emotions and bodily sensations 1. This diminished interoception is linked to the disorder's characteristic mood swings and energy fluctuations. Huberman highlights a study on young individuals at high genetic risk for bipolar disorder, showing reduced connectivity between the parietal brain regions and the limbic system 2.

People with bipolar disorder become very poor at registering their own internal state, in particular, their emotional states and their somatic states.

--- Andrew Huberman

These findings underscore the importance of understanding neural circuit dynamics in managing bipolar disorder effectively.

   

Lithium's Role

Lithium plays a crucial role in the treatment of bipolar disorder by protecting neural circuits and enhancing neuroplasticity. Huberman describes how lithium prevents the loss of neural circuits responsible for interoception and top-down control over the limbic system 3. This neuroprotective effect is partly due to lithium's ability to increase brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which supports neuroplasticity 4.

Lithium treatment will increase so-called BDNF, brain-derived neurotrophic factor.

--- Andrew Huberman

Understanding lithium's mechanisms provides insights into developing better treatments for bipolar disorder, highlighting the need for ongoing research into its cellular and neural circuit effects.