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Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder that is usually diagnosed during late adolescence or early adulthood. But over a quarter of individuals living with bipolar disorder are over the age of 60. According to the National Institute of Health, “it’s generally agreed that older people with bipolar tend to have more depression than mania and that these depressive moods can arrive more frequently.” Research is still needed to truly understand bipolar disorder and aging and how it impacts older people.
How Age Affects Bipolar Disorder
In people living with bipolar disorder, age can affect:
- how symptoms appear
- how severe symptoms are
- how the disorder affects the brain
Symptoms of Aging on Bipolar Disorder Patients
Rapid cycling appears to be more common in older individuals with bipolar disorder. Research suggests that older adults with bipolar disorder often experience:
- rapid cycling or more frequent episodes
- more depressive episodes and less time spent in manic or hypomanic states
- less severe manic symptoms and fewer psychotic features with mania
- new symptoms, such as irritability and poor cognition
- lower risk of suicide
- resistance to treatment options, such as certain medications
It has been found that bipolar disorder may actually speed up aging and contribute to cognitive decline including increased risk for dementia. Unfortunately, bipolar disorder impacts a person’s ability to function day-to-day especially when left untreated. As a person ages, this lack of functionality can become more difficult as other functionalities and cognitions become harder to hold onto.
According to Healthline, research from 2022 suggests that older adults with bipolar disorder seem to have much less gray matter in the frontal area of the brain. This area directly contributes to emotional behaviors and emotional regulation. Other studies have also suggested that bipolar disorder may impact other areas of the brain linked to cognition, memory, and more.
So, while many older individuals already experience changes in mood, cognition, and memory as a part of the natural aging process, people with bipolar disorder may experience more intense changes.
Unfortunately there is no cure for bipolar disorder. Often this mental illness requires lifelong treatment, but with the right support, medications and interventions, it can be a manageable disorder throughout a person’s entire life.
