Whose brain is it?

by Leena Prasad

Presented within the flow of the lives of fictional characters, this is a monthly column with a journalist’s perspective on brain research.

 

Ben has disappeared suddenly and his girlfriend Paula is feeling anxious. He has sent an email, however, to say that he is okay and will get in touch with her soon. She calls up Ben’s sister Sonia to try to understand what’s going on with him.

Paula and Sonia are in the kitchen in Sonia’s apartment.  It’s early evening and an occasional bird chirp punctures the quiet of the kitchen. Paula is sitting on a chair with her feet up on the chair, knees bent, and her face buried in her knees. Sonia is measuring sugar and flour and it looks like she’s planning to bake something.

SONIA

He is much better than he used to be.

They are both quiet for a while. Paula wonders if he is still in the city? Where could he have gone? He didn’t even tell his sister! She needs to understand his disorder. It’s the only way she can calm her mind.

PAULA

I want a scientific explanation. I need to know the mechanics.

SONIA

There’s a lot of evidence that bipolar disorder is genetic.

PAULA

Where in the brain is it located?

SONIA

Well, researchers have found that people with bipolar disorder have a small amygdala. It’s the area in the brain that controls emotions, amongst other things.

There is a mix of dough in a bowl in front of Sonia. She adds chocolate chips to it.

PAULA

Is that the only issue, then, a smaller amygdala?

SONIA

Well, it’s a pretty big issue. So to speak.

Paula laughs. Then she starts to cry. She wipes off her tears with a napkin from the table.

PAULA

Damn, I’m acting bipolar now.

SONIA

It’s not that simple. Well, I mean it is a little like that but someone with BD goes through extreme phases.

PAULA

Yeah, I know. I was just being… So, what does it mean to have a smaller amygdala and how can that be cured with medication?

Sonia uses two large spoons to scoop out the dough and to make little cookie circles with the dough on a cookie sheet.

SONIA

I don’t know if there is a cure. But some cases of the disorder can be “managed”.

PAULA

With drugs? How much can be managed?

(pause)

Ben still hasn’t called!

Paula pulls out her cell phone and looks at it. Sonia cleans her hands and goes out to grab her cell phone and views the incoming calls list also.

PAULA

Can we look for him somewhere?

SONIA

He has disappeared before. It’s not possible to find him but he’ll show up within 24 hours because he knows that you can report him missing after that.

Paula sighs.

PAULA

I feel helpless.

SONIA

I know. It’s hard. But you really just have to wait.

PAULA

Ok. Tell me how the medicine helps the amygdala?

SONIA

It doesn’t.

Paula looks at her with a “what the fuck” expression on her face.

SONIA

There’s another component. I’ll show you something.

Sonia puts the cookie tray in the oven, wipes her hands and goes out into the living room. She comes back with a 12 inch high model of a brain.

SONIA

See the gray matter in the brain?

Sonia touches the gray matter.

SONIA

People with BD have less density in their grey matter.

PAULA

So, they have less gray matter.

SONIA

Yes, and sometimes there are lesions in the gray matter also.

SONIA

Lithium and anti-depressants increase the amount of gray matter.

Sonia adds some of the leftover cookie dough to the brain. Paula touches the dough and the brain sculpture.

PAULA

So, it’s fixable.

SONIA

(sighs)

Well, medication can prevent further damage. But it doesn’t reverse the atrophy and loss of brain cells.

They stare at the sculpture. Sonia opens the oven and puts the cookies in a plate.

SONIA

He loves these. They always seem to calm him.

PAULA

Let’s hope he is thinking of us and will call soon.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, a little over one percent of Americans have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.  Symptoms may appear during the adolescent years or during the early adulthood years but have sometimes also been known to show up later. For example, the newscaster, Jane Pauley, noted symptoms after the age of 50.

People with this disorder are at higher risk of committing suicide when compared to the general population and are also more likely to abuse alcohol and other drugs. There’s speculation that Vincent Van Gogh and Ernest Hemingway might have had this disease. Even though they both committed suicide, they made spectacular achievements during their lifetime. There is no known cure for this disease but a variety of modern medications offer the possibility to manage this disease and lead a healthy life. For example, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jean Claude Van Dam, and Jane Pauley are examples of successful people who have this disease.

—————————————————————————————————————————————

For column announcements & updates, follow @WhoseBrainIsIt on twitter. You can also find links to past columns at WhoseBrainIsIt.com.

Please send feedback and suggestions for future columns to leena@fishridingabike.com and go to FishRidingABike.com for Leena’s writing portfolio. Leena has a journalism degree from Stanford University.

References:

Bipolar Disorder: Making a Difference Today. Society of Neuroscience. 2005.