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New developments in the bipolar spectrum conceptualization

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Current Psychosis & Therapeutics Reports

Abstract

TheDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders uses a categorical model of diagnostic nosology that has a high level of reliability. The criteria, however, are not based on etiologic factors, and the diagnostic boundaries are arbitrary to some degree. Bipolar mood disorders are separated from unipolar disorders based on the definition of hypoma nia. Evaluating external validators such as family history of bipolar disorder, recent studies have found that patients with subsyndromal hypomania and highly recurrent unipolar depression are more closely related to patients with bipolar disorder than those with less recurrent forms of unipolar depression. These findings suggest that physicians need to evaluate more carefully the use of antidepressant medication for depressive episodes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. George Washington University, 2150 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, 20037, Washington, DC, USA

    Daniel Z. Lieberman MD

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  1. Daniel Z. Lieberman MD
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  2. Frederick K. Goodwin MD
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Lieberman, D.Z., Goodwin, F.K. New developments in the bipolar spectrum conceptualization. Current Psychosis & Therapeutics Reports 1, 67–71 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02629384

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