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The Brain, Bipolar I Disorder, and ABILIFY
The symptoms of Bipolar I Disorder are thought to be caused by an imbalance of chemicals in the brain. The exact way ABILIFY (or any other medicine for Bipolar I Disorder) works is unknown. On this page, you’ll learn how ABILIFY (aripiprazole) may work by adjusting the activity of some of these chemicals to help improve the symptoms of bipolar disorder.
The Brain
The human brain is an amazing organ. It is vastly more complex than any computer ever designed.
The brain regulates normal body functions such as breathing, sleeping, and heart rate… and enables us to see, hear, taste, smell, and touch. Our thoughts, memories, feelings, and movements are the result of brain activity. It provides us with the ability to concentrate, plan, remember, communicate, and relate to other people. The brain is involved in our emotions and personality.
The brain and spinal cord make up the central nervous system.
A constant stream of information moves back and forth between the central nervous system and the rest of the body. This information is carried by a network of nerves.
This network of nerves connects the brain and spinal cord to our skin, sensory organs (such as the eyes and ears), and our muscles, as well as to the internal organs, such as the heart and lungs.
Coordination of all of the information moving through the nervous system makes it possible for us to function in the world.
Brain Chemistry
The brain is made up of literally billions of nerve cells. These cells carry a constant stream of information.
In order to move this information from one cell to the next, nerve cells release chemicals known as neurotransmitters.
The system works like this:
When the information reaches the end of a nerve cell, the cell releases chemical neurotransmitters that carry the information from one nerve cell to the next. This is how information moves through the entire nervous system.
There are many different chemical neurotransmitters. Two chemicals needed for brain function are dopamine and serotonin, which play a crucial role in emotional health.
Bipolar I Disorder
The human brain is made up of billions of nerve cells. These cells communicate by releasing chemicals known as “neurotransmitters.”
Two key neurotransmitters that are needed for brain function are dopamine and serotonin, which play a crucial role in emotional health.
Many scientists believe that when the levels of these neurotransmitters aren’t quite right, it may result in the symptoms of Bipolar I Disorder.
For instance, too much dopamine in certain parts of the brain can cause symptoms such as delusions…
…while too little dopamine in other parts of the brain can cause symptoms such as a lack of emotion and energy.
How ABILIFY Is Thought to Work
The exact way ABILIFY (or any other medicine for Bipolar I Disorder) works is unknown. However, experts believe that ABILIFY works by adjusting dopamine, instead of completely blocking it, as well as affecting serotonin.
Source: abilify.com
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5 Responses to “The Brain, Bipolar I Disorder, and ABILIFY”
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Recently there was an article in the Los Angeles Times recently about bipolar medications. Basically it said that patients on lithium are 25% less likely to committ suicide than those on the newer, more expensive drugs. Drug companies don’t promote or run studies on lithium anymore because it’s no longer under patent and not profitable.
The main problem with lithium is that you have to get frequent blood tests and drink plenty of liquids or it will be toxic. What I observed when I did my nurse’s training is that bipolar patients go from being a little hyper to psychotic when they don’t sleep for more than 24 hours. Every bipolar patient I saw that was hospitalized had been without sleep for an extended period. I wonder if they didn’t take a powerful sedative when the insomnia starts if they might not go off the deep end. Of course, when they feel that “rush”, sleep is the farthest thing from their minds. What has your experience been?
I have never been on this specific medication. However, I have been on every med under the sun for bipolar.
The one med which has worked for me tremendously is seroquel.
This Is an ant-psychotic medication which believe me “ensures sleep”
As the comment above bipolars are certainly at risk when they/ we do not get our sleep. This stands true for people without bipolar! Sleep is one of the most important aspects our our lives!
The other medication which works for me is an anti siezure med by the name of lamotrigine, which acts as a mood stabalizer as well.
I have been on this combo, for a number of years now and out of EVERYTHING we have tried this is the med cocktail which does work in my case. This is a difficult disorder to treat, and difficult to treat with meds alone. one top of this combo I have been put on a few more meds which some docs may find to be a very strange addition to this cocktail, but again for me it works.
If you would like to learn more about my experiences and the treatments which have worked for me, please contact me!
I would love to share some more!
Karin Hiebert
My son has been treated for mental illness for the las 20 yrs with dozens of medicines that were ineffective and he was constantly going to the hospital. He has been Abilify for the last 2 months and the change has been unbelievably positive. Life is more pleasant for both of us.
Thanks Abilify.
Abilify has been the answer to many prayers. I prayed for a medicine that would help my son. When he was stared on Abilify 2 months ago I was cautiously optimistic because of the dozens of medications that had been tried. The miracle I had been praying for the last 20 years was answered with Abilify. He is happy and I thought this time would never come.
Abilify is the answer.
Not too many comments on Abilify, Can’t take it, or any other anti-psycotic drugs because of atypical paradoxical reactions, (auditory hallucinations) to be more clear on that, finding my self in bed talking on the phone to people I hadn’t talked to in years and realizing I had no phone in my room, also asking my husband why he was watching porno in the living room, and he never watches porno, when he was wathing the Price is Right. Weird stuff for me, rather stay away from it. Have never suffered from psycotic episodes before trying anti psycotic as mood stabilizer.
My medication that seems to be working , with continual tweaking is Emsam Transdermal Patch 9mg with Topamax as a
mood stabilizer. Dosage varies from 250 mg to 400 mg according to which cycle I am in.
I have had successes and failures with many
different drugs, for periods of time. I have been on Emsam since March 2007 with
2 depressions and 2 escalations. My med management provider is now a very knowledgable MSN,APRN-BC Advanced Practice Nurse, after trying 3 different Psyciatrists long term. I did not choose to
switch quickly. They just tended to not listen very closely, didn’t provide more than 15 minutes office time, and were not
available in an emergency. If your in trouble you do not need to listen to a message telling you to go to the emergency room if you are not suicidal. With my current provider I can email her and she gets back to me very quickly. I tell her what I think I should do and she tells me
yes or no as far as tweaking the meds. We
do have very clear guidelines established as to how far up or down I can go. Nothing
drastic. Nothing eliminated completely without permission. But I am a very careful
and educated consumer as far as meds are concerned, and have no history of drug or alcohol abuse. I also have a very strong support system in my husband who recognizes
red flags very quickly. Sometimes I do not
like to listen, especially if I am elevating, but I have learned over the years to listen anyway. I have made many mistakes in the learning process, but this disease is mangeagle to an extent. I no longer waste time wallowing in depression.
I won’t spend months in it anymore. I will
increase my meds by small increments and when the cloud lifts return to normal dosage. There was a time when I would stay
at the higher dosage only to end up hypomanic, until my last episode ended up in full blown mania. Don’t ever want to go there again, because it will always result in a crash, and we have to start the whole cycle of tweaking all over again. I am stable now back to normal dosage but it took a few days. I thank God I found the right person for me. This wouldn’t work for everyone. You really have to be able to stay on top of your moods and have a lot of self awareness with out becoming obsessed with “how you feel” . That can’t
be your sole focus in your life either. Every day Life has to happen also. Going to work if you are able, taking care of everyday needs, grooming, family, home, hobbies, exercise etc. Having Bipolar doesn’t have to be “Being bipolar”. Healthy
relationships are possible, they just take more work. I think any marriage has a 50/50 chance of survival if you work at it
and having one person ill whether the illness is bipolar or heart disease, diabeaties, or whatever, it takes extra work.