Uric acid

What is uric acid?

Uric acid is the final product of purine metabolism, which plays a key role in neurotransmission and neuromodulation. It is thought that uric acid could be involved in mood and sleep regulation, behavioural patterns, and affective temperaments. Some, but not all studies have shown that people with bipolar disorder have a purinergic system dysfunction associated with high uric acid levels.

What is the evidence for changes in uric acid in people with bipolar disorder?

Moderate to high quality evidence suggests medium-sized effects of increased uric acid in people with bipolar disorder compared to controls and compared to people with major depression. There were no differences in uric acid levels between people with bipolar disorder in different mood states.

April 2019

Last updated at: 2:52 am, 9th April 2019
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Fact Sheet Technical Commentary

NeuRA Libraries

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