Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder in offspring of parents with depression and bipolar disorder
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Lukas Propper1, Jill Cumby1, Victoria C Patterson1
1Lukas Propper, MD, Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax and Department of Psychiatry, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia; Jill Cumby, RN, Victoria C. Patterson, BA (Hons), Vladislav Drobinin, BSc, Jacqueline M. Glover, BSc, Lynn E. MacKenzie, MA, Jessica Morash-Conway, MA, Nova Scotia Health Authority, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Sabina Abidi, MD, Alexa Bagnell, MD, David Lovas, MD, Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax and Department of Psychiatry, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia; Tomas Hajek, MD, Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax and Nova Scotia Health Authority, Halifax, Nova Scotia; William Gardner, PhD, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa and Department of Epidemiology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario; Kathleen Pajer, MD, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa and Department of Psychiatry, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario; Martin Alda, MD, Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax and Nova Scotia Health Authority, Halifax, Nova Scotia; Rudolf Uher, PhD, Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Department of Psychiatry, IWK Health Centre, Halifax and Nova Scotia Health Authority, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Insights
Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD) is not specifically linked to parental bipolar disorder. Instead, DMDD in youth may be associated with a family history of major depressive disorder.
Area of Science:
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- Genetics of Mood Disorders
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Background:
- Offspring of parents with bipolar disorder may have an increased risk for disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD).
- The specificity of this association requires further investigation.
- Understanding genetic and environmental influences on DMDD is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the specificity of disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD) in relation to parental psychiatric history.
- To compare the prevalence of DMDD in offspring of parents with bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, and no mood disorders.
Main Methods:
- Lifetime diagnosis of DMDD was assessed in 180 youth aged 6-18 years.
- Participants included offspring of parents with bipolar disorder (n=58), major depressive disorder (n=82), and controls (n=40).
- The Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Aged Children for DSM-5 was utilized.
Main Results:
- No offspring of parents with bipolar disorder met DMDD criteria.
- Six offspring of parents with major depressive disorder were diagnosed with DMDD.
- DMDD diagnosis showed a significant association with a family history of major depressive disorder.
Conclusions:
- Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD) is not specifically associated with parental bipolar disorder.
- Parental depression may be a more significant risk factor for DMDD in offspring.
- Findings suggest distinct familial influences for DMDD and bipolar disorder.
Abstract:
BackgroundIt has been suggested that offspring of parents with bipolar disorder are at increased risk for disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD), but the specificity of this association has not been established.AimsWe examined the specificity of DMDD to family history by comparing offspring of parents with (a) bipolar disorder, (b) major depressive disorder and (c) a control group with no mood disorders.MethodWe established lifetime diagnosis of DMDD using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School Aged Children for DSM-5 in 180 youth aged 6-18 years, including 58 offspring of parents with bipolar disorder, 82 offspring of parents with major depressive disorder and 40 control offspring.ResultsDiagnostic criteria for DMDD were met in none of the offspring of parents with bipolar disorder, 6 of the offspring of parents with major depressive disorder and none of the control offspring. DMDD diagnosis was significantly associated with family history of major depressive disorder.ConclusionsOur results suggest that DMDD is not specifically associated with a family history of bipolar disorder and may be associated with parental depression.