The Miami Airport Incident Victim Coluld be Bipolar Disorder Patient

Medical News Today
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The tragic shooting of Rigoberto Alpizar at the Miami International Airport by U.S. Marshals who thought he had a bomb offers an opportunity to discuss bipolar disorder and the need for law enforcement officials to understand mental illness.
Media reports are stating that Mr. Alpizar may have had bipolar disorder, which has also been known in the past as manic depression.
Bipolar disorder is estimated to affect 2.7 million Americans, or about 1 percent of the population.The disorder is characterized by extreme variations in mood, from mania, euphoria and irritability to depression.
The Alpizar tragedy should spotlight the importance of training for law enforcement officials and others in recognizing and dealing with the outward signs of mental illness. Research has shown that bipolar disorder involves abnormalities in brain biochemistry and in the structure and/or activity of certain brain circuits.
However, the causes of those abnormalities are still being investigated through studies involving brain scanning and other techniques.
Jan 02, 2006