We are still working on ruling out bipolar, for my son; however his new doctor is going that route.

My question is this: Is their a corelation between mental illness, pineal gland cyst and irregular optic nerves (not only are they irregular, one is different than the other eye)?  My son had a complete neuro work up prior to going to a psychiatrist.  This is how the pineal gland cyst was found.  Then they told me he was ADHD, now possibly both ADHD & Bipolar.  His recent eye exam showed issues w/his optic nerves in both eyes.  The opthamologist suggested another MRI/CT Scan.  I just needed to know, so that I can make an educated decisions.

Thank you.
  

Dear Ms. C.' --

This is a very unusual circumstance. I think all that I can add is simply that we do know of people with bipolar disorder whose illness seems to have emerged in association with brain injury. Indeed, this is quite common. Sometimes the injury seems to have served as a trigger, in a family where mood disorders are well known. But sometimes, the injury is one of the few factors at which one can point in explaining why the person might have developed bipolar symptoms.

The point there is that brain anatomy, and the integrity of that anatomy, does seem to really matter, in terms of not having bipolar symptoms. Or, put the other way: abnormalities of brain anatomy are associated with bipolar symptoms. 

I think it is plausible that such abnormalities could come not from from traumatic injury but from some kind of developmental mis-wiring and we do the same "tilt" toward developing mood symptoms. However, that is really largely guessing. There might be some neurologists who would have more informed comment.

Dr. Phelps



Published May, 2008