SPECIAL ARTICLE
Child and Adolescent Bipolar Disorder: A Review of the Past 10 Years

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ABSTRACT

Objective

To provide a review of the epidemiology, phenomenology, natural course, comorbidity, neurobiology, and treatment of child and adolescent bipolar disorder (BP) for the past 10 years. This review is provided to prepare applicants for recertification by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Method

Literature from Medline and other searches for the past 10 years, earlier relevant articles, and the authors' experience and ongoing National Institute of Mental Health-funded project “Phenomenology and Course of Pediatric Bipolarity” were used.

Results

Age-specific, developmental (child, adolescent, and adult) DSM-IV criteria manifestations; comorbidity and differential diagnoses; and episode and course features are provided. Included are age-specific examples of childhood grandiosity, hypersexuality, and delusions. Differential diagnoses (e.g., specific language disorders, sexual abuse, conduct disorder [CD], schizophrenia, substance abuse), suicidality, and BP-II are discussed.

Conclusions

Available data strongly suggest that prepubertal-onset BP is a nonepisodic, chronic, rapid-cycling, mixed manic state that may be comorbid with attentiondeficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and CD or have features of ADHD and/or CD as initial manifestations. Systematic research on pediatric BP is in its infancy and will require ongoing and future studies to provide developmentally relevant diagnostic methods and treatment.

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  • Cited by (0)

    This work was supported by NIMH grant ROI MH53063, “Phenomenology and Course of Pediatric Bipolarity,“ to Dr Geller

    This is the 10th in a series of lO-year updates in child and adolescent psychiatry. Topics are selected in consultation with the AACAP Committee on Recertification, both for the importance of new research and its clinical or developmental significance. The authors have been asked to place an asterisk before the five or six most seminal references.

    J. McD.

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