Study May Offer New Ways to Treat Manic Depression

In a breakthrough that may one day help millions of Americans suffering from manic depression, researchers at McLean Hospital in Belmont say they have pinpointed energy deficiencies in brain cells of people with the disorder, suggesting a new way to treat the illness.

"People now are put on lithium and anti-psychotic drugs. In some cases it works, but in many cases it doesn't," said Christine Konradi, the study's lead author.

The researchers compared brain cells from manic depressives with those who suffered from schizophrenia, and compared them to healthy brains. The ones with manic depression had cells that did not produce as much energy, suggesting that something in that process went awry.

"Rather than use a drug that, by serendipity, helps some people, we may actually be able to now target the medication for what we found," Konradi said. "If you know what's wrong, then you can find a drug that fixes it."

That would be welcome news to the estimated 2.3 million adults in the U. S. with manic depression, said Evie Barkin, who suffers from the disease and is a member of the Manic Depressive and Depressive Association of Boston.

"A lot of people are taking six medications (to find the right balance)," she said. "I take five medications and it took a long time to get that to be right."

(C) 2004 Boston Herald. via ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved

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