Inflammatory Markers and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor as Potential Bridges Linking Bipolar Disorder and Cardiovascular Risk Among Adolescents.

Objective: Bipolar disorder (BD) is associated with increased rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and inflammatory markers are leading biomarkers in BD. We examined whether these biomarkers underlie the link between BD and CVD proxies among adolescents with bipolar spectrum disorders.

Impulsivity is associated with blood pressure and waist circumference among adolescents with bipolar disorder.

Objective: Cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) and impulsivity are common in bipolar disorder (BD), and CVRFs are also linked with impulsivity through a number of mechanisms, both behavioral and biological. This study examines the association between CVRFs and impulsivity in adolescents with BD.

Methods: Subjects were 34 adolescents with BD and 35 healthy control (HC) adolescents.