Low Arachidonic Acid Levels Tied to Bipolar Disorder Risk

A person with bipolar disorder faces an alternative cycle of extreme highs and lows. The condition can severely affect a person’s livelihood, as the highs are characterized by an unrealistic sense of invincibility, and the lows by debilitating depression. 

A new study published in Biological Psychiatry says that bipolar disorder (BPD) might be caused due to low levels of arachidonic acid and arachidonic lipids that promote cell health. Arachidonic acid is a polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acid. Lipids are fatty or waxy and water-insoluble substances in the body responsible for various key functions. The researchers found that higher levels of arachidonic acid correlated to a lower incidence of bipolar disorder. 

Using data from 14296 European individuals, authors in this study tested 913 circulating metabolites for a link to bipolar disorder among which 33 were associated with the condition. Most of the metabolites, including arachidonic acid, where lipids association was found between other disorders such as schizophrenia or depression. 

Researchers found a connection to the regulation of a person’s response to the drug lithium, which is prescribed for bipolar disorder. This study found that the lipid association with bipolar disorder was promoted by genetic variants within the FADS1/2/2 gene cluster. 

This is known to be an area of strong risk factor for bipolar disorder and is responsible for initiating the conversion of linoleic acid into arachidonic acid. Since this gene cluster is implicated in bipolar disorder, perturbed arachidonic acid synthesizing pathways may be an important factor. 

An important implication of this study is that dietary intervention could play a role in reducing the risk of bipolar disorder, particularly among those with a family history of the condition. 

Dietary intervention could also help minimize the progression of this condition for those who already live with it. Arachidonic acid is obtained through diet as an omega-6 fatty acid found in foods such as seafood, eggs, and meat. It can also be synthesized from dietary linoleic acid in nuts, seeds, and oils. 

Findings suggest that a genetic propensity to lower plasma levels of arachidonic acid and arachidonic acid-containing complex lipids may be associated with a higher risk of bipolar disorder. Arachidonic acid plays an important role in brain development and functioning, but exactly how it might mediate the risk of bipolar disorder is unclear. Much work still needs to be done to determine this.