Bivalent Cations in Bipolar Disorders

Bivalent cations play a lot of roles in human brain. Calcium, magnesium zinc ,copper and other cations are involved in normal functions of the brain .The most important mechanisms of action for cations are : modulation of the presynaptic release of some neuromediators , influence on neuronal ionic channels, induction of changes in some receptors activity, influence on the transporters of neuromediators. The disbalance in intracellular or extra cellular concentrations of brain cations are observed in neurological and psychiatric diseases (major depression, schizophrenia, heroine addiction, neurodegenerative diseases, convulsive disorders). The bipolar disorder( BP ) is a major public health problem. The economic cost is high and the patients have a high risk of suicide( Antelman et al. 1998) BD also called manic-depressive psychosis is a relative frecvent psychiatric ill. The pathogenic mechanism of the development of BD is unknown yet. The aetiopathogenesis of BD will be better elucidated in the future by experimental and clinical studies.