Causes of Mania

List of causes of Mania

Following is a list of causes or underlying conditions (see also Misdiagnosis of underlying causes of Mania) that could possibly cause Mania includes:

• Other symptoms that might be imprecisely described as mania include:
  • Hyperactivity
  • Excitement
  • Euphoria
  • Delusions
  • Inattention
  • Recklessness
  • Distracted (see Concentration difficulty)
  • Concentration difficulty
  • Detachment
• Bipolar disorder - also previously called "Manic-depressive disorder"
• Schizoaffective disorder
• Substance-induced mood disorder
• Certain physical medication conditions
• Other causes of hypomania include:
  • Bipolar II disorder (type of Bipolar disorder)
  • Cyclothymic disorder
  • Substance-induced mood disorder
• Medical conditions that might be mistaken as mania include:
  • Drug intoxication
  • Amphetamine intoxication
  • Cannabis intoxication
  • Emotional stress
  • Hyperthyroidism - causes a speedup of metabolism and thought but not true mania.
  • Dementia
  • Schizophrenia
  • Schizoaffective disorder
  • Insomnia - can cause unusual racing thoughts but not true mania.
• See other causes of symptom mania

More causes: see full list of causes for Mania

Causes of Mania: Online Medical Books

16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE! Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration, for more information about the causes of Mania.

Bipolar disorders: Causes and incidence
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

The cause of bipolar disorder is unclear, but hereditary, biological, and psychological factors may play a part. For example, the incidence of bipolar disorder among relatives of affected patients is higher than in the general population and highest among maternal relatives. The closer the relationship, the greater the susceptibility. Children with one affected parent have a 25% chance of developing bipolar disorder; children with two affected parents, a 50% chance. The incidence of this illness in siblings is 20% to 25%; in identical twins, the incidence is 66% to 96%.

Although certain biochemical changes accompany mood swings, it isn’t clear whether these changes cause the mood swings or result from them. In mania and depression, intracellular sodium concentration increases during illness and returns to normal with recovery.

Patients with mood disorders have a defect in the way the brain handles certain neurotransmitters — chemical messengers that shuttle nerve impulses between neurons. Low levels of the chemicals dopamine and norepinephrine, for example, have been linked to depression, whereas excessively high levels of these chemicals are associated with mania.

Changes in the concentration of acetylcholine and serotonin may also play a role. Although neurobiologists have yet to prove that these chemical shifts cause bipolar disorder, it’s widely assumed that most antidepressant medications work by modifying these neurotransmitter systems.

New data suggest that changes in the circadian rhythms that control hormone secretion, body temperature, and appetite may contribute to the development of bipolar disorder.

Emotional or physical trauma, such as bereavement, disruption of an important relationship, or a serious accidental injury, may precede the onset of bipolar disorder; however, bipolar disorder commonly appears without identifiable predisposing factors.

Manic episodes may follow a stressful event, but they’re also associated with antidepressant therapy and childbirth. Major depressive episodes may be precipitated by chronic physical illness, psychoactive drug dependence, psychosocial stressors, and childbirth. Other familial influences, especially the early loss of a parent, parental depression, incest, or abuse, may predispose a person to depressive illness. (See Cyclothymic disorder.)

The American Psychiatric Association estimates that 0.4% to 1.2% of adults experience bipolar disorder. This disorder affects women and men equally and is more common in higher socioeconomic groups. It can begin any time after adolescence, but onset usually occurs between ages 20 and 35; about 35% of patients experience onset between ages 35 and 60. Before the onset of overt symptoms, many patients with bipolar disorder have an energetic and outgoing personality with a history of wide mood swings.

Bipolar disorder recurs in 80% of patients; as they grow older, the episodes recur more frequently and last longer. This illness is associated with a significant mortality; 20% of patients commit suicide, many just as the depression lifts.

ELDER TIP The older adult at highest risk for suicide is at least age 85, is depressed, has high self-esteem, and needs to control his own life. Even a frail nursing home resident with these characteristics may have the strength to kill himself.

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Bipolar disorders: Causes
(Handbook of Diseases)

The origins of bipolar disorder are unclear, but hereditary, biological, and psychological factors may play a part.

Hereditary factors

The incidence of bipolar disorder among relatives of affected patients is higher than in the general population and highest among maternal relatives. The closer the relationship, the greater the susceptibility.

Biological factors

Although certain biochemical changes accompany mood swings, it’s unclear whether these changes cause the mood swings or result from them. With both mania and depression, intracellular sodium concentration increases during illness and returns to normal with recovery.

Patients with mood disorders have a defect in the way the brain handles certain neurotransmitters  —  chemical messengers that shuttle nerve impulses between neurons. Low levels of the chemicals dopamine and norepinephrine, for example, have been linked to depression, whereas excessively high levels of these chemicals are associated with mania.

Changes in the concentration of acetylcholine and serotonin also may play a role. Although neurobiologists have yet to prove that these chemical shifts cause bipolar disorder, it’s widely assumed that most antidepressants work by modifying these neurotransmitter systems.

New data suggest that changes in the circadian rhythms that control hormone secretion, body temperature, and appetite may contribute to the development of bipolar disorder.

Emotional and physical factors

Emotional or physical trauma, such as bereavement, disruption of an important relationship, or a serious accidental injury, may precede the onset of bipolar disorder; however, bipolar disorder often appears without identifiable predisposing factors.

Manic episodes may follow a stressful event, but they’re also associated with antidepressant therapy and childbirth. Major depressive episodes may be precipitated by chronic physical illness, psychoactive drug dependence, psychosocial stressors, and childbirth. Other familial influences  —  especially the early loss of a parent, parental depression, incest, or abuse  —   may predispose a person to depressive illness.

READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Mania as a complication of other conditions:

Other conditions that might have Mania as a complication may, potentially, be an underlying cause of Mania. Our database lists the following as having Mania as a complication of that condition:

• Bipolar disorder
• Lupus

Mania as a symptom:

Conditions listing Mania as a symptom may also be potential underlying causes of Mania. Our database lists the following as having Mania as a symptom of that condition:

• Affective Disorders, Psychotic
• Bipolar disorder
• Lead poisoning
• Lupus
• Major affective disorder 1
• Major affective disorder 2
• Organic mood syndrome
• Psychosis
• St. Anthony's fire
• Wolfram's disease

Medications or substances causing Mania:

The following drugs, medications, substances or toxins are some of the possible causes of Mania as a symptom. This list is incomplete and various other drugs or substances may cause your symptoms. Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using, including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.

• Certain stimulants
• Calcium Gluconate
• Kalcinate
• Calcium Chloride
• Cal Plus

Read more about medication causes of Mania

Drug interactions causing Mania:

When combined, certain drugs, medications, substances or toxins may react causing Mania as a symptom.

The list below is incomplete and various other drugs or substances may cause your symptoms. Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using, including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.

• Clomipramine (Anafranil) and Furazolidone (Furoxone) interaction
• Clomipramine (Anafranil) and Isocarboxazid interaction
• Clomipramine (Anafranil) and Phenelzine (Nardil) interaction
• Clomipramine (Anafranil) and Selegiline (Eldepryl) interaction
• Clomipramine (Anafranil) and Tranylcypromine (Parnate) interaction

See full list of 424 drug interactions causing Mania

Medical news summaries relating to Mania:

The following medical news items are relevant to causes of Mania:

• Familial bipolar disorder traits dictate disease presentation
• Include family in bipolar treatment
• Misdiagnoses of mental illness
• Recently discovered gene defect may be the cause of some types of depression

Related information on causes of Mania:

As with all medical conditions, there may be many causal factors. Further relevant information on causes of Mania may be found in:

• Risk factors for Mania
• Medications that may cause Mania
• Hidden causes of Mania