Strategies to reduce misdiagnosis of bipolar depression
Abstract
Research over the past decade indicates that the prevalence of bipolar disorder is similar to that of major depression. The author discusses complexities in the diagnosis of bipolar disorder, especially in distinguishing bipolar from unipolar depression. Bipolar depression is associated with more mood lability, more motor retardation, and greater time spent sleeping. Early age of onset, a high frequency of depressive episodes, a greater percentage of time ill, and a relatively acute onset or offset of symptoms are suggestive of bipolar disorder rather than major depression. Because DSM-IV criteria require a manic or hypomanic episode for a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, many patients are initially diagnosed and treated as having major depression. Treatment of bipolar disorder with antidepressants alone is not efficacious and may exacerbate hypomania, mania, or cycling. It is important that clinicians be alert to any hint of bipolarity developing in the course of antidepressant therapy, especially among patients with first-episode major depression.
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Depression diagnoses based on patient interviews and symptoms have uncertainties as high as 30%.
“Such diagnoses are based on patient interviews and symptoms with uncertainties as high as 30% as a consequence [7].”
From Patient specific modeling of the HPA axis related to clinical diagnosis of depression (2017) · cites this paper as [7]
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- Authors
- Bowden, C. L.
- Affiliations
- The University of Texas at San Antonio Health Science Center (US)
- Corresponding author
- Bowden, Charles L.
- Venue
- Psychiatric Services
- Published
- 2001-01
- Volume
- 52
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 51-55
- ISSN
- 0022-1597 (ISSN-L)
- 1075-2730
- 1557-9700
- OpenAlex
- W2119162560
- Cited by
- 267
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 19 · 2013: 16 · 2012: 18
- FWCI
- 7.30
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychiatric Services (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Bipolar Disorder and Treatment
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Treatment of Major Depression
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Disorders and Psychopathology
- Keywords
- bipolar depression, misdiagnosis, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, differential diagnosis, antidepressant-induced mania, hypomania, emotional lability, first-episode depression, antidepressant treatment
- MeSH terms
- Affect, Antidepressive Agents, Anxiety Disorders, Bipolar Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, Depressive Disorder, Diagnosis, Differential, Diagnostic Errors, Humans, Schizophrenia, United States
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