Are children with a higher IQ at risk of developing bipolar disorder later in life?

A child with a high IQ is every parent's dream. Don't they just want to brag about how smart their child is! But, according to a new study, a high childhood IQ can be a cause of concern later in life. The study claims that such children are more likely to suffer from bipolar disorders. A bipolar disorder where patients experience extreme mood swings from elation to sudden mania alternating with a period of extreme depression.

The study established a positive relation between intelligence, creativity and lifetime manic features. The study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry claims that bipolar disorder could be the price humans pay for developing adaptive traits such as intelligence, creativity and verbal proficiency . Scientists from the University of Glasgow, Bristol, Cardiff and Texas studied data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). They found that higher childhood IQ could indicate a greater risk of bipolar disorder in adulthood. Read: 4 causes of bipolar disorder that you should know

Professor Daniel Smith of the University of Glasgow said that a possible link between high intelligence, creativity and bipolar disorder has already been established by many previous studies. their study pointed out that better performance on IQ tests at age eight predicted bipolar features in young adulthood. However, he cleared that high childhood IQ is not a clear-cut risk factor for bipolar disorder, but there is a link between intelligence and bipolar disorder that needs to be studied in depth. Read: Can yoga help beat bipolar disorder?

In the study, the researchers aimed at finding an association between childhood IQ at eight and lifetime manic features assessed at age of 22-23 years. For a full-scale IQ measurement, the children aged eight had to undergo both verbal IQ (VIQ) and performance IQ assessment. The data combined from 1881 individuals showed a positive association between the two. They found that individuals with ranked in the top 10% of those with manic features had a mean childhood IQ of 10 points higher than those scoring in the lowest 10% of manic features. They also found that the association between IQ and manic features were strongest for verbal IQ (VIQ). Read: Poor sleep associated with bad mood in women with bipolar disorder.

Smith concluded that their study showcases how the liability to bipolar disorders has been selected through generations. He said that one possibility could be that mood disorders like bipolar disorders are the price humans pay for more traits such as intelligence, creativity and verbal proficiency. The study can help develop methods to detect bipolar disorders in young adults. Alison Cairns, Chief Executive of Bipolar Scotland said that this study is important in the battle to tackle the stigma associated with the condition.

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