Research conducted at Mount Sinai Hospital has revealed that naturally occurring changes in the brain's wiring can be beneficial for people that are at an increased genetic risk of developing bipolar disorder by helping them avoid the onset of the mental illness. The results give scientists increased opportunity when it comes to finding new ways for disease prevention and treatment.

Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that causes extreme fluctuations in mood, energy, activity levels and can greatly inhibit the ability of those suffering from it to conduct daily tasks. It is a highly heritable disease, meaning those with parents or siblings with the disorder are at a much greater risk of developing the illness compared to those without bipolar disorder in their family bloodline.

The study examined three groups of people: patients with bipolar disorder, their siblings who did not develop the illness and healthy individuals unrelated to these patients. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), each patient had their brains scanned while performing an emotional and non-emotional task, each one known to tap into specific brain functions affected by bipolar disorder.

The results showed that bipolar patients and their unaffected siblings showed similar patterns of abnormal emotional brain activity compared the healthy individuals, although the siblings showed additional changes in the wiring of their brain within the same networks.

"The ability of the siblings to rewire their brain networks means they have adaptive neuroplasticity that may help them avoid the disease even though they still carry the genetic scar of bipolar disorder when they process emotional information," Sophia Frangou, who participated in the research, said in a press release. "A family history remains the greatest risk factor for developing bipolar disorder and while we often focus on risk, we may forget that the majority of those who fall into this category remain well."

"Looking for biological mechanisms that can protect against illness opens up a completely new direction for developing new treatments," she added. "Our research should give people hope that even though mental illness runs in families, it is possible to beat the odds at the genetic lottery."

The findings were published in the Jan. 5 issue of Translational Psychiatry.