...the likelihood that they will develop bipolar disorder increases according to a recent study.
Mental Health goal: Improve clinical assessment and care for these high-risk children by potentially enabling earlier identification, treatment or possible preventive measures.
"Mental health practitioners should carefully assess for short episodes of manic symptoms, major depression and disruptive behavior disorders in high-risk children, as these are risk factors for the future onset of bipolar disorder," said David Axelson, MD, medical director of Behavioral Health at Nationwide Children's Hospital and senior author on the study.
From the study:
Those that come close to what is found in bipolar disorder but do not meet all the criteria — are key risk factors for the development of bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses in high-risk children.
Children of parents with bipolar disorder have substantially higher rates of subthreshold mania or hypomania (13.3 vs. 1.2%); manic, mixed or hypomanic episodes (9.2 vs. 0.8%); and major depressive episodes (32 vs. 14.9%) than their peers, the researchers reported in the American Journal of Psychiatry.
New research published today in the American Journal of Psychiatry indicates a strong link between subthreshold manic episodes and likelihood of developing bipolar disorder in children of parents with bipolar disorder.
The study's findings could improve clinical assessment and care for these high-risk children by potentially enabling earlier identification, treatment or possible preventive measures.
The study is among the first to show that subthreshold manic episodes — experiences that approach but do not meet the cut-offs for full-blown bipolar disorder — are important diagnostic risk factors for the development of bipolar disorder and other mental health conditions in high-risk children.
In addition, it found that children of parents with bipolar disorder have substantially higher rates of subthreshold mania or hypomania (13.3 vs 1.2%); manic, mixed or hypomanic episodes (9.2 vs 0.8%); and major depressive episodes (32% vs 14.9%) than community children.
"Most children who have a parent with bipolar disorder will have a diagnosable psychiatric disorder, such as attention-deficit disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, an anxiety disorder or depression, at some point during their youth," said Dr. Axelson, who is also a professor of clinical psychiatry at The Ohio State University.
"However, most children who have a parent with bipolar disorder do not develop bipolar disorder."
Among the study's high-risk children who did develop bipolar disorder, nearly all had identifiable mood episodes and other psychiatric disorders before the onset of full-fledged bipolar illness.
"Short, distinct episodes of manic symptoms were the most specific predictor of developing bipolar disorder in high-risk offspring," Dr. Axelson said. "But so far, many children with these short manic episodes have not progressed to full-fledged bipolar disorder."
Bottom line: Research is leading us to greater awareness, diagnosis, and treatments that improve our childrens lives. It is paramount that the information be used correctly and that each and every individual seeks the right treatment for them. In order to develop lasting therapies, we need to keep addressing all information available, it is more work, but the benefits out-weigh the risks.
