41.3 NEUROCHEMICAL MARKERS OF CONVERSION IN YOUTH OFFSPRING OF PARENTS WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER

Child offspring of individuals with bipolar disorder (BPO) are at increased risk for developing mood disorders and might benefit from early or preventative interventions. However, strategies to predict the development of mood disorders among BPO are currently lacking. Alterations in prefrontal measures of membrane metabolism and neuronal signaling, as detected by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS), are associated with mood symptoms among bipolar disorder. We examined whether these metabolites, when measured before a first mood episode, predict the development of mood disorders among BPO.