New guideline says lithium still appears to have the most robust evidence base as a long-term treatment for bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder features as one of the top ten disabling disorders for working age adults. There are numerous risks including suicide, increased mortality and reduced social functioning associated with the disorder. Key to enabling recovery is preventing acute episodes from occurring, with each episode increasing the risk of future ones. [read the full story...]

Depression and bipolar disorder linked to an increased risk of developing dementia, says systematic review

Dementia and affective disorders (such as depression and bipolar disorder) are usually considered to be completely unrelated afflictions. Yet a number of recent studies have suggested that the risk of developing dementia in later life may be increased for those who have had an affective disorder. A number of systematic [read the full story...]

Systematic review finds that suicide risk for prisoners with bipolar disorder may be lower than other mental disorders

In prisons, suicide is the leading cause of mortality (estimated at 3-5 times the general population). Mental health disorders are known to increase the risk. Generally, suffering from a bipolar disorder increases the risk of attempted or completed suicide when compared to the general population. So it would be expected [read the full story...]

Treatment of bipolar in specialised outpatient mood disorder clinics substantially reduces readmissions to psychiatric hospitals

There is a limited amount of good quality research being published about bipolar disorder, particularly investigating the early stages. Bipolar is associated with a high risk of relapse and this risk of relapse increases with the number of previous episodes. Observational studies suggest that early intervention may improve both course [read the full story...]

Review identifies a lack of research about the long-term employment outcomes for people with bipolar disorder

Back in October I blogged about the factors (cognitive deficits, depression and education level) that predict worklessness in people with bipolar disorder. A new systematic review by Steven Marwaha and colleagues has recently been published in the Acta Psychiatric Scandinavica journal, which adds to our understanding of this field. The [read the full story...]

Cognitive deficits, depression and education level all predict worklessness in bipolar disorder, says systematic review

People with bipolar disorder have high levels of post 16 years education, but it’s estimated that only half of those living in Europe with the condition are in paid employment. This is a real concern because the illness typically affects young and middle-aged people who would normally be active in [read the full story...]

Short-term use of second-generation antipsychotics can cause side effects in children and adolescents

Over the last few years, we have seen more and more children and young people being prescribed antipsychotic drugs. The theory behind this increase is that the newer antipsychotic drugs have fewer side effects than the older typical antipsychotics. However, some small and relatively short duration studies have shown that [read the full story...]

Haloperidol reduces mania a little faster than second-generation antipsychotics, according to systematic review

There are a range of treatment options for people with bipolar disorder who are experiencing a manic episode. An important part of this treatment is to reduce the symptoms of mania and provide the individual with some level of normality. I blogged this time last year about a meta-analysis in [read the full story...]

Premature babies have greater risk of serious mental illness

Preterm babies are three times more likely to be admitted to hospital for a mental health problem as an adult than normal term babies, according to a study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry by researchers in the UK and Sweden. About 1 in every 13 children born in [read the full story...]

New systematic review shows how the incidence of schizophrenia and other psychoses has changed since 1950

This is one in a series of 5 systematic reviews commissioned by the Department of Health, which seek to establish a comprehensive understanding of the distribution and pattern of psychotic disorders in England, between 1950 and 2009. All mental health professionals, commissioners and health planners will find this research relevant [read the full story...]

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