Project to Examine Link Between Bipolar Disorder and Abnormalities in a Mammal’s Internal Clock

A University of Michigan math professor will lead an international, $1 million project that examines the connection between bipolar disorder and abnormalities in the circadian, or daily, rhythms of a mammal’s internal clock.

In humans, this grain-of-rice-sized timepiece is a cluster of 20,000 neurons located right behind the eyes. It’s called the suprachiasmatic nucleas (SCN) of the brain’s hypothalamus and is responsible for keeping our bodies in synch with our planet’s 24-hour day. For more information, click here to read the full release.