The initial prodrome to bipolar affective disorder: Prospective case studies

Abstract

Background: The initial prodrome to bipolar disorder has received very little attention to date, with most of the available data only addressing the prodrome to relapse. This study presents several prospective case studies of the initial prodrome to bipolar affective disorder. Methods: Three patients are presented who developed bipolar disorder during their treatment at the Personal Assessment and Crisis Evaluation Clinic (PACE). They were prospectively interviewed over a 12-month period using standard clinical research interviews. Results: These patients met the criteria for bipolar disorder by the end of the treatment period. Depressive symptoms were the main reason for their first clinica..