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Pediatric bipolar disorder: a review of the past 10 years

Mani N Pavuluri1, Boris Birmaher, Michael W Naylor

  • 1Pediatric Mood Disorders Clinic and Bipolar Research Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, 60612-7327, USA. mpavuluri@psych.uic.edu

Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
|August 23, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Pediatric bipolar disorder (BD) is increasingly recognized, with varying diagnostic criteria impacting prevalence. Research highlights genetic predisposition and encourages early identification and tailored treatments for this recurrent condition.

Area of Science:

  • Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
  • Neuroscience
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Pediatric bipolar disorder (BD) is a complex condition with evolving diagnostic criteria.
  • Understanding its epidemiology and clinical presentation is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To comprehensively review the literature on pediatric bipolar disorder (BD) from the past decade.
  • To cover epidemiology, clinical characteristics, assessment, course, correlates, and treatment/prevention strategies.

Main Methods:

  • A systematic computerized literature search was conducted for articles published in the last 10 years.
  • Selected studies were analyzed and synthesized to provide a comprehensive overview.

Main Results:

  • Pediatric BD is increasingly recognized, with incidence and prevalence varying by study.
  • The disorder is highly recurrent, associated with significant psychiatric and psychosocial morbidity.
  • Familial aggregation suggests a genetic predisposition, and prodromal symptom recognition aids early identification.
  • Neuroimaging shows frontotemporal and frontostriatal pathology, though not disorder-specific.
  • Combination pharmacotherapies and tailored psychotherapies show promise.

Conclusions:

  • Significant advances have been made in understanding pediatric BD, but differing clinical viewpoints persist.
  • Further phenomenological, longitudinal, and biological validation studies are needed.
  • Randomized controlled trials for acute and maintenance treatment are warranted.
Abstract

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