Manic depression may be a rhythm thing

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From <i>Cosmos</i>

Defects in the body's circadian rhythms could underlie manic-depressive disorder, according to a new study. Mice with altered daily rhythms have been found to display some of the hallmarks of the 'manic' component of the condition, also known as bipolar disorder. The mice, which carry a mutated version of the circadian rhythm gene Clock, even respond to the drug lithium - used as a mood stabiliser to treat bipolar disorder in people.