Bipolar+Disorder

media type="youtube" key="25_sZAHNqTU?rel=0" height="199" width="250" align="right"Bipolar disorder is classified as a mood disorder under the DSM-IV, and it is clinically manifested by episodes of both mania and depression. Estimates place the lifetime prevalence of this disorder at approximately 1-5%, and the age of onset is typically during adolescence or early adulthood. Unlike the high and low mood states generally exhibited by unaffected individuals, episodes of depression and mania are severe enough to impede the ability to function in a social context, and are not necessarily preceded by a specific environmental stressor. It is commonly treated with mood stabilizers such as lithium, which has been used to treat bipolar disorder for over 50 years.

The poor prognosis of bipolar disorder places emphasis on the need to review the current literature and address the barriers in improving the illness burden. Approximately 20% of bipolar patients commit suicide. Transitioning from a classification of the symptomatology to its management remains a challenge, and the heterogeneity of bipolar disorder may pose difficulties at the diagnostic level. Relapse remains high, and even with treatment, the susceptibility for suicide is 5 times higher for bipolar individuals [1] Developing effective treatment strategies will likely require both reconciling the diverse symptoms with reliable diagnostic tests, and research initiatives on the etiology of this disorder.

> 1. Signs and Symptoms //(Saumya Valookaran)// >> 1.1 Mania >> 1.2 Depression >> 1.3 Circadian Dysregulation >> 1.4 Symptom Variability >>> 1.4.1 Symptoms in children >>> 1.4.2 Symptoms in males and females > 2. Diagnosis //(Anouska Dias)// >> 2.1 Subtypes >> 2.2 Questionnaires >> 2.3 Difficulties > 3. Treatment //(Dalya Jalil)// >> 3.1 Pharmacological treatment >>> 3.1.1 Lithium >>> 3.1.2 Anticonvulsants >>> 3.1.3 Antipsychotics >>> 3.1.4 Antidepressants >> 3.2 Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) >> 3.3 Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy >> 3.4 Physical treatment/ new research >>> 3.4.1 Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) >>> 3.4.2 Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) >>> > 4. Pathophysiology //(Janine Cajanding)// >> 4.1 Structural and functional abnormalities >>> 4.1.1 Prefrontal cortex >>> 4.1.2 Limbic system >> 4.2 Mitochondrial dysfunction hypothesis >>> 4.2.1 Altered energy metabolism >>> 4.2.2 Oxidative stress >> 4.3 Current limitations and future directions > 5. Genetics //(Marzia Niamah Hussain)// >> 5.1 Genetic Overlap >>> 5.1.1 Family/Twin Studies >>> 5.1.2 Shared genetics with other mental disorders >> 5.2 Candidate Gene Association Studies >>> 5.2.1 Receptors, Transporters, Channels >> 5.3 Genome Wide Association Studies ||
 * **Clinical Characteristics**
 * Etiology**

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