Alteration in circadian rhythms in bipolar disorder: Mechanisms and implications

The relationship between bipolar disorder (BD) and biological rhythms has been extensively investigated. Alterations in biological rhythms, including sleep, have been identified in patients, and polymorphisms in genes that make up the genesis of circadian rhythms have been associated with the disorder and linked to its phenotypic particularities. Moreover, different studies have also reported the presence of abnormalities in infradian rhythms. Finally, antidepressants and mood stabilizers affect the circadian clock, and chronobiological treatments have shown to have an important effect on mood.