Poligratis III, Jose A.III-9 BS-PsychologyEmotional Behavioral DisorderBipolar Disorder

Definition:Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks. Symptoms of bipolar disorder are severe. They are different from the normal ups and downs that everyone goes through from time to time. Bipolar disorder symptoms can result in damaged relationships, poor job or school performance, and even suicide. But bipolar disorder can be treated, and people with this illness can lead full and productive lives.Source: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/bipolar-disorder/index.shtml

Causes:Genetic factors in Bipolar Disorder Bipolar disorder tends to be familial, meaning that it runs in families. About half the people with bipolar disorder have a family member with a mood disorder, such asdepression. A person who has one parent with bipolar disorder has a 15 to 25 percent chance of having the condition. A person who has a non-identical twin with the illness has a 25 percent chance of illness, the same risk as if both parents have bipolar disorder. A person who has an identical twin (having exactly the same genetic material) with bipolar disorder has an even greater risk of developing the illness about an eightfold greater risk than a nonidentical twin. Studies of adopted twins (where a child whose biological parent had the illness is raised in an adoptive family untouched by the illness) has helped researchers learn more about the genetic causes vs. environmental and life events causes.Neurochemical Factors in Bipolar DisorderBipolar disorder is primarily a biological disorder that occurs in a specific area of the brain and is due to the dysfunction of certain neurotransmitters, or chemical messengers, in the brain. These chemicals may involve neurotransmitters like norepinephrine,serotoninand probably many others. As a biological disorder, it may lie dormant and be activated on its own or it may be triggered by external factors such as psychological stress and social circumstances.

Environmental Factors in Bipolar Disorder A life event may trigger a mood episode in a person with a genetic disposition for bipolar disorder. Even without clear genetic factors, altered health habits, alcohol or drug abuse, or hormonal problems can trigger an episode. Among those at risk for the illness, bipolar disorder is appearing at increasingly early ages. This apparent increase in earlier occurrences may be due to underdiagnosis of the disorder in the past. This change in the age of onset may be a result of social and environmental factors that are not yet understood. Although substance abuse is not considered a cause of bipolar disorder, it can worsen the illness by interfering with recovery. Use of alcohol or tranquilizers may induce a more severe depressivephase.Source: http://psychcentral.com/lib/the-causes-of-bipolar-disorder-manic-depression/000912

Famous Person with Bipolar Disorder:Demi LovatoIt wasnt until she entered a treatment center for her struggles with anorexia, bulimia, and cutting that teen pop star Demi Lovato found out she had bipolar disorder.

"Looking back it makes sense,"she toldPeopleof her diagnosis. "There were times when I was so manic, I was writing seven songs in one night and I'd be up until 5:30 in the morning."

The Disney darling hassince completed treatmentand will continue to see doctors at home in L.A., but says, "I feel like I am in control now."Source: http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20307117_1,00.html

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)Definition:Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a group of behavioural symptoms that include inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness.Common symptoms of ADHD include: a short attention span or being easily distracted restlessness, constant fidgeting or overactivity being impulsiveADHD can occur in people of any intellectual ability, although it is more common in people with learning difficulties. People with ADHD may also have additional problems, such as sleep and anxiety disorders.Symptoms of ADHD tend to be first noticed at an early age, and may become more noticeable when a child's circumstances change, such as when they start school. Most cases are diagnosed in children between the ages of 6 and 12.The symptoms of ADHD usually improve with age, but many adults who are diagnosed with the condition at a young age will continue to experience problems.Source: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder/Pages/Introduction.aspx

Causes:Possible causes of ADHD include:

GenesADHD has a strong genetic basis in the majority of cases, as a child with ADHD is four times as likely to have had a relative who was also diagnosed with attention deficit disorder. At the moment, researchers are investigating many different genes, particularly ones involved with the brain chemicaldopamine. People with ADHD seem to have lower levels of dopamine in the brain.Children with ADHDwho carry a particular version of a certain gene have thinner brain tissue in the areas of the brain associated with attention. Research into this gene has showed that the difference are not permanent, however. As children with this gene grow up, their brains developed to a normal level of thickness and mostADHD symptomssubsided.

Nutrition and FoodCertain components of the diet, includingfood additivesandsugar, can have clear effects on behavior. Some experts believe that food additives may exacerbate ADHD. And a popular belief is that refined sugar may be to blame for a range of abnormal behaviors.However, the belief that sugar is one of the primary causes of attention deficit disorder does not have strong support in the research data. While some older studies did suggest a link, more recent research does not show a link between ADHD and sugar. While the jury is still out on whether sugar can contribute to ADHD symptoms, most experts now believe that the link is not a strong one. Simply removing sugar from a childs diet is unlikely to significantly impact their ADHD behavior.Some studies also suggest that a lack of omega-3 fatty acids is linked to ADHD symptoms. These fats are important for brain development and function, and there is plenty of evidence suggesting that a deficiency may contribute to developmental disorders including ADHD. Fish oil supplements appear to alleviate ADHD symptoms, at least in some children, and may even boost their performance at school.

The EnvironmentThere may be a link between ADHD and maternal smoking. However, womenwho suffer from ADHD themselves are more likely to smoke, so a genetic explanation cannot be ruled out. Nevertheless, nicotine can cause hypoxia (lack of oxygen) in utero.Lead exposure has also been suggested as a contributor to ADHD. Although paint no longer contains lead, it is possible that preschool children who live in older buildings may be exposed to toxic levels of lead from old paint or plumbing that has not been replaced.

Brain InjuryBrain injury may also be a cause of attention deficit disorder in some very small minority of children. This can come about following exposure to toxins or physical injury, either before or after birth. Experts say that head injuries can cause ADHD-like symptoms in previously unaffected people, perhaps due to frontal lobe damage.

Other Possible CausesADHD researchers are currently investigating the frontal lobes of the brain the areas controlling problem-solving, planning, understanding other peoples behavior, and restraining our impulses.The brain is divided into two halves, and the two frontal lobes communicate through a bundle of nerve fibers called the corpus callosum. These areas, and nearby brain cells, are being examined by ADHD researchers. Using brain imaging methods, the experts can get an idea of the location of the psychological deficits of ADHD.A 2002 study found that children with ADHD had 3-4 percent smaller brain volumes in all the brain regions measured. But children on ADHD medication had similar brain volumes to unaffected children, in some of the areas measured.One big difference was the amount of white matter long-distance connections between brain regions that normally become stronger as a child grows up. Children with ADHD who had never taken medication had an abnormally small volume of white matter.Source: http://psychcentral.com/lib/causes-of-attention-deficit-disorder-adhd/0001202

Famous Person with ADHD:Michael Jordan

MJ is perhaps the most polarizing sports figure on the planet. During his NBA career, he became the greatest of all time and made basketball what it is today. Oh yeah and he had ADHD. His success went beyond just sports to business where he rakes in millions of dollars through sneakers sales and other investments. He has his hands in a lot of pots and is always looking for his next move a common trait to this condition.Source: http://elitedaily.com/money/10-successful-people-adhd/

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)Definition:Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by unreasonable thoughts and fears (obsessions) that lead you to do repetitive behaviors (compulsions). It's also possible to have only obsessions or only compulsions and still have OCD.

With OCD, you may or may not realize that your obsessions aren't reasonable, and you may try to ignore them or stop them. But that only increases your distress and anxiety. Ultimately, you feel driven to perform compulsive acts in an effort to ease your stressful feelings.

OCD often centers around themes, such as a fear of getting contaminated by germs. To ease your contamination fears, you may compulsively wash your hands until they're sore and chapped. Despite efforts to ignore or get rid of bothersome thoughts, the thoughts or urges keep coming back. This leads to more ritualistic behavior and a vicious cycle that's characteristic of OCD.

Causes:PsychologicalAnevolutionary psychologyview is that moderate versions of compulsive behavior may have had evolutionary advantages. Examples would be moderate constant checking of hygiene, the hearth, or the environment for enemies. Similarly,hoardingmay have had evolutionary advantages. In this view OCD may be the extreme statistical "tail" of such behaviors possibly due to a high amount of predisposing genes.BiologicalOCD has been linked to abnormalities with theneurotransmitterserotonin, although it could be either a cause or an effect of these abnormalities. Serotonin is thought to have a role in regulating anxiety. To send chemical messages from oneneuronto another, serotonin must bind to thereceptorsites located on the neighboring nerve cell. It is hypothesized that the serotonin receptors of OCD sufferers may be relatively understimulated. This suggestion is consistent with the observation that many OCD patients benefit from the use ofselective serotonin reuptake inhibitors(SSRIs), a class ofantidepressantmedications that allow for more serotonin to be readily available to other nerve cells. A possiblegenetic mutationmay contribute to OCD. Amutationhas been found in the human serotonin transporter gene,hSERT, in unrelated families with OCD.Moreover, data from identical twins supports the existence of a "heritable factor for neurotic anxiety".Further, individuals with OCD are more likely to have first-degree family members exhibiting the same disorders than do matched controls. In cases where OCD develops during childhood, there is a much stronger familial link in the disorder than cases in which OCD develops later in adulthood. In general, genetic factors account for 4565% of OCD symptoms in children diagnosed with the disorder.Environmental factors also play a role in how these anxiety symptoms are expressed; various studies on this topic are in progress and the presence of a genetic link is not yet definitely established.

Famous Person with OCD:

Cameron DiazCameron Diaz, star of such films as The Mask and There's Something About Mary, admitted in a 1997 article that she suffered from a phobia of germs that caused her to clean the doorknobs in her house so many times that she faded their paint. She has since "made her peace" with this phobia, she says. She even removed stitches from The Daily Show host Jon Stewart's wrist on camera! Source: http://www.healthcentral.com/anxiety/cf/slideshows/7#slide=2