ce of the other having it, but if a fraternal twin has it the other has only about a 20% chance of having it. When adopted persons had the disorder more than 30% of their biological parents had bipolar disorder, but only 2% of their adoptive parents did. Faulty Neurotransmitters, the molecules that enable the transmission of nerve impulses from one nerve to the next, are also thought to be a cause of bipolar disorder.
             Sensitization could also be a factor is causing the illness. This idea suggests that the first episodes of the illness were triggered by stressful life events, and that each episode of illness causes changes in the brain which makes the next episode more likely, and eventually episodes occur spontaneously.
             Bipolar disorder is characterized by episodes of mania (excitement of psychotic proportions accompanied by disorganized behavior and elevated mood) and depression. The person's mood swings from excessively 'high' and irritable, to sad and hopeless, and then back again, with periods of normal mood in between. Those who do not start out with the psychiatric symptoms start with movement disorders - clumsiness and unsteady gait. Bipolar disorder is diagnosed if mania occurs, whether depression has been diagnosed or not. A manic episode is diagnosed if elevated mood occurs with 3 or more of the symptoms most of the day, nearly every day, for 1 week or longer. If the mood is irritable, 4 additional symptoms must be present. Many times bipolar states and psychotic states are misdiagnosed as schizophrenia. Speech patterns help distinguish between the two disorders.
             A typical bipolar patient may experience eight to ten episodes in their lifetime. Those with rapid cycling may experience more episodes of mania and depression that succeed each other without a period of remission. Many times patients report that the depressions are longer and increase in frequency as the individual ages.
             "Excessively 'high' or euphor...