COOPER: A lot of concern and questions tonight about the news that Catherine Zeta-Jones checked into a mental health facility. Her rep tells CNN that Zeta-Jones is seeking treatment for bipolar two disorder, which the Mayo Clinic says is a less severe form of bipolar disorder.
The rep also says she's decided to check into a facility after dealing with the stress of the past year, obviously, when her husband, Michael Douglas, was fighting throat cancer.
So we wanted to get some more information about what exactly bipolar two disorder is and how it can be triggered by traumatic events. For that we went to 360 M.D. Sanjay Gupta.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Sanjay, there's still such stigma over mental health issues in this country. I think for someone as well known as Catherine Zeta-Jones to be very frank about an issue she's facing is really remarkable.
What exactly is bipolar disorder?
GUPTA: Well, it is a -- people refer to it as manic depression. It is a disorder sort of characterized by what is known as mania, manic episodes, and also depressive episodes.
Now manic episodes, people are, you know, really at the highest of highs, and depressed episodes, the lowest of lows. But so much so, Anderson, that it really interferes with your ability to conduct your normal life. These episodes can last a period of time, usually over a week at least. And, you know, it can be so disruptive not only to the individual but to all the people around them.
That's typically what bipolar is sort of characterized by.
You know, what is interesting, if I can show you really quickly, Anderson, is that we have more insight specifically into what's happening in the brain now, as well.
For example, let me show you what is known as a functional MRI of a normal brain. Now up near the top, that's the area of the frontal lobes. That's the area of the brain that's responsible for judgment, for your ability to sort of filter things, to add to -- to filter something, to think before you do, to think before you act. That's a normal brain.
Now, take a look at what a bipolar diagnosed brain, someone who's during a manic episode. You see hardly any activity in those frontal lobes.
COOPER: Wow.
GUPTA: Now, think about that, no activity in the frontal lobes, Anderson, means hardly any filter. You think of something, you immediately say it. You think of something, you immediately do it. You have nothing sort of putting on the brakes. I just find that extremely fascinating, because it's objective evidence of what specifically is happening in the brain during one of these episodes.
COOPER: And she has bipolar disorder two, which I hadn't heard of. How is that different from what you just explained?
GUPTA: Yes. There's a few different types of bipolar, and these are all characterized now, Anderson, by, you know, what's known as a clinical diagnosis. So you're sitting down with a doctor, being asked questions and coming up with the diagnosis.
Basically, the big difference is that, instead of having true manic episodes. They have more of what are known as hypomanic episodes. They still develop mania, which can be, you know, lots of -- it can be lots of activity, fast talking, little sleep. But not quite to the degree of someone who's in a full manic episode. But they still can have the severe depression. Sometimes the depression is even worse than in someone who has classic bipolar or bipolar one.
COOPER: And obviously, she has endured a lot of stress over the past year with Michael Douglas, her husband battling cancer. Does stress trigger bipolar disorder?
GUPTA: I think it can, absolutely. And I think trigger is the right word, as opposed to cause. Because I think, you know, there's mounting evidence that people probably have a predisposition, some sort of genetic predisposition toward it, you know.
We know that children, for example, if they have a parent with bipolar, four to six times more likely to develop it. So there's some genetic component. They haven't identified the genes.
But the trigger, that's always been, you know, something people have been looking for, and stress is certainly a big one.
COOPER: And in terms of -- I think she has checked herself into a facility. For a lot of people, this is something that they live with on a day-to-day basis. It doesn't consume their lives to the point where they can't do anything. Or it can.
GUPTA: Well, I think, you know, true bipolar disease, you know, this classic bipolar, is incredibly disruptive to the individual and incredibly disruptive to the people around them.
I think you know what it is, Anderson? I think it's still so stigmatized that, despite the fact that it's so disruptive, people do not seek treatment, which is incredibly sad. Because while there is no cure, there can be some pretty effective treatments.
And people are often diagnosed very late if they're diagnosed at all with this disease, because they tend to try and mask it, get around it, or they become very socially inward. They don't go out because they're afraid of exhibiting these symptoms.
And again, like I said, we're working on this documentary. But that part of it is, I just think incredibly sad. So there's treatments available out there.
COOPER: Well, again, I just think for her to be so up front, it's going to help a lot of other people out there, who don't -- who haven't talked about it as much or maybe don't even know they have it. Sanjay, thanks.
GUPTA: Thanks, Anderson.
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