After years of mystery, new research is finally beginning to illuminate the causes of bipolar. It looks like there are five main factors, from genes to a psychological trait called “reward sensitivity”. Dr. Phelps will present findings from these five branches of research and discuss their important treatment implications.  He’ll use plain “kitchen table” language — without oversimplifying, because understanding how this science is being done is an exciting part of the story.

Dr. Jim Phelps focused his psychiatric practice on complex mood disorders for over 20 years. His first website about the spectrum of bipolar disorders in 1999 led to books for patients, families, and professionals. As a self-described “closet academic”, he has been lead author of over 20 peer-reviewed articles, and served on International Society for Bipolar Disorders’ Task Forces regarding Bipolar Diagnosis and Chronotherapy.  In semi-retirement, he has turned his books and articles into 50 short YouTube videos, written a new patient education website, and is working with a bipolar “Learning Health Network” of academic and clinical centers around the U.S. He appears in BrainStormTheFilm, a documentary about bipolar disorders for public television.

Register for this webinar here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_S44I5j_lQTeFQWmG-6xvOg