[Neuropatological and neurochemical abnormalities in bipolar disorder].
OBJECTIVE
Postmortem, pharmacological, neuroimaging, and animal model studies have demonstrated a possible association of intracellular signaling mechanisms in the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder. The objective of this paper is to review the findings in neuropathology and cellular biochemistry.


METHODS
We performed a MEDLINE research, between 1980-2003, using bipolar disorder, signaling, second messengers, and postmortem as keywords, and cross-references.


RESULTS
Neuropathological studies reported a decrease in neuronal and glial cells, mainly in the prefrontal cortex of bipolar patients. Neurochemical studies reported dysfunction in cAMP, phosphoinositide, Wnt/GSK-3b, and intracellular Ca++ pathways in these patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The neuropathological and neurochemical abnormalities demonstrated in BD may be related to the pathophysiology of this disorder and the effects of mood stabilizers. However, further studies are needed to clarify the role of the intracellular signaling cascade in the pathogenesis of this disorder.
Frey
Benício Noronha
BN
Laboratório de Psiquiatria Experimental, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Brazil. benicio.frey@terra.com.br
Fonseca
Manoela M Rodrigues da
MM
Machado-Vieira
Rodrigo
R
Soares
Jair C
JC
Kapczinski
Flávio
F
D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D006801:Humans; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000502:physiology*; D015290:Second Messenger Systems / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction
D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents