Bipolar Disorder (BPD or manic-depressive illness) is one of the most serious of all mental disorders, affecting millions of individuals worldwide.

Affected individuals alternate between states of deep depression and mania. Now, a mouse model of the disease has been developed.

Researchers found that the glutamate receptor 6 (GluR6) gene is associated with bipolar disorder. Mice that were missing the GluR6 gene underwent a series of tests designed to approximate the symptoms of mania.

These mice showed many of the...