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Smart Talk: Bipolar Disorder

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Almost six million adults in the U.S. are living with bipolar disorder, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.  

We’ve seen the movies and know the stereotypes, but what is bipolar disorder? How does it impact the lives of those diagnosed and their families?  Most importantly, do we know what causes bipolar disorder and how to treat it? That’s the focus of this episode of Smart Talk.

Appearing on the program is Dr. Erika Saunders, Associate Professor and Chair of Psychiatry at the Penn State College of Medicine. Dr. Saunders has been working on understanding the importance and impacts of certain omega-3 fatty acids in the brains of people diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

She discusses what her findings could mean for the future understanding and treatment of bipolar disorder.