Onset of illness in bipolar manic-depressives and their affectively ill first-degree relatives

Some suggestive data regarding age of onset and the relationship of stress to onset in a group of bipolar manic-depressive patients and their first-degree relatives are presented. Possible explanations of the interesting correlation in age of onset among family members are discussed. Because of a small sample size, the clinical significance of the findings are uncertain, but are presented because of their potential interest to those investigating genetic components of affective illness.