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Problems in the Boundaries of Bipolar Disorders

  • Bipolar Disorders (W Coryell, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Classical concepts of bipolarity (bipolar I and bipolar II) have sometimes been extended into a broader spectrum that includes a wide variety of conditions previously diagnosed as separate forms of psychopathology. Differential diagnosis remains important, particularly in personality disorders characterized by affective instability, and in behavior disorders affecting pre-pubertal children. In the absence of biological markers or other external sources of validity, as well as lack of evidence for response to pharmacological treatment when disorders are defined more broadly, the bipolar spectrum remains an unproven hypothesis.

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Joel Paris declares that he has no conflict of interest.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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  1. Institute of Community and Family Psychiatry, SMBD-Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, 4333 cote Ste. Catherine, Montreal, Quebec, H3T1E4, Canada

    Joel Paris

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Correspondence to Joel Paris.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Bipolar Disorders

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Paris, J. Problems in the Boundaries of Bipolar Disorders. Curr Psychiatry Rep 16, 461 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-014-0461-0

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