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Q: White Matter Lesions & Bipolar Disorder
I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder about seven years ago. Four years
after my diagnosis, I began having migraines and small-mal seizures. They
did an MRI and found a benign white-matter lesion in my right parietal lobe.
They never removed it because its location made surgical removal very dangerous,
but they guessed that it might be either a pilocytic astrocytoma, or an
oligodendroglioma. In the past couple years I have discovered more and more
research connecting white matter lesions to bipolar disorder, although my neuro-oncologist
and my psychiatrist claim they are not related. Here is an example of an
article I found:
http://bjp.rcpsych.org/cgi/content/full/178/2/172
Perhaps there has not been enough studies on the subject to make any useful
conclusions, but I was wondering if I were to get radiation therapy to remove
this lesion, if the symptoms of bipolar could possibly be diminished.
Thank you,
Dear Ms. M' --
Although you are quite correct in your research -- yes, white matter lesions are
indeed associated with bipolar disorder -- the lesion you describe does not
sound like the same kind of phenomenon. Of course I can't tell that for certain
without seeing the MRI, but from your description, this is very different than
the "deep white matter lesions" which the paper you cite describes. That was
interesting, I hadn't seen the distinction they draw between periventricular
white matter lesions and these deep white matter lesions. However, in both
cases, they are talking about brain changes they thing are associated with
bipolar disorder. Causing it? I doubt that, and the research has not been
suggesting that (more like "caused by" bipolar disorder). I think that may have
some bearing on the question you ask, but hesitate to be more specific as this
would be best handled by someone who can see that MRI and comment. On the
whole, however, from the information you present here, I find myself agreeing
with your oncologist and psychiatrist. Sorry, I'll bet that's not what you were
hoping to hear...
Dr. Phelps.
Published November, 2005
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