Underexplored Connections Between Diabetes, Hypomanic States and Insecure Attachment

Abstract

Diabetes, dopamine, attachment style disorders, and hypomania share complex interrelations involving neuroinflammation, dysfunction in brain networks (DMN, CEN, SAL), and emotional regulation. Both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes induce cognitive and structural changes in the brain through mechanisms such as hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and chronic inflammation. These processes can affect the dopaminergic system, which plays a pivotal role in motivation, emotional regulation, and the manifestation of hypomania. Dopamine is directly linked to attachment styles, with disturbances in this system increasing vulnerability to emotional disorders, including bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Hypomania, a hallmark of the bipolar spectrum, is associated with dopaminergic imbalances, often observed in diabetes.