Bipolar I disorder (BD-I; pronounced "type one bipolar disorder") is a type of
bipolar spectrum disorder characterized by the occurrence of at least one
manic episode, with or without mixed or psychotic features. Most people also, at other times, have one or more
depressive episodes.
Typically, these manic episodes can last at least 7 days for most of each day to the extent that the individual may need medical attention, while the depressive episodes last at least 2 weeks.
It is a type of bipolar disorder and conforms to the classic concept of manic-depressive illness, which can include
psychosis
In psychopathology, psychosis is a condition in which a person is unable to distinguish, in their experience of life, between what is and is not real. Examples of psychotic symptoms are delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized or inco ...
during mood episodes.
Diagnosis
The essential feature of bipolar I disorder is a clinical course characterized by the occurrence of one or more manic episodes or mixed episodes. Often, individuals have had one or more
major depressive episode
A major depressive episode (MDE) is a period characterized by symptoms of major depressive disorder. Those affected primarily exhibit a depressive mood for at least two weeks or more, and a loss of interest or pleasure in everyday activities. Oth ...
s.
One episode of mania is sufficient to make the diagnosis of bipolar disorder; the person may or may not have a history of
major depressive disorder
Major depressive disorder (MDD), also known as clinical depression, is a mental disorder characterized by at least two weeks of pervasive depression (mood), low mood, low self-esteem, and anhedonia, loss of interest or pleasure in normally ...
.
Episodes of substance-induced mood disorder due to the direct effects of a
medication
Medication (also called medicament, medicine, pharmaceutical drug, medicinal product, medicinal drug or simply drug) is a drug used to medical diagnosis, diagnose, cure, treat, or preventive medicine, prevent disease. Drug therapy (pharmaco ...
, or other
somatic treatments for depression,
substance use disorder, or
toxin
A toxin is a naturally occurring poison produced by metabolic activities of living cells or organisms. They occur especially as proteins, often conjugated. The term was first used by organic chemist Ludwig Brieger (1849–1919), derived ...
exposure, or of mood disorder due to a general medical condition need to be excluded before a diagnosis of bipolar I disorder can be made. Bipolar I disorder requires confirmation of only 1 full manic episode for diagnosis, but may be associated with hypomanic and depressive episodes as well.
Diagnosis for bipolar II disorder does not include a full manic episode; instead, it requires the occurrence of both a hypomanic episode and a major depressive episode.
Serious aggression has been reported to occur in one out of every ten major, first-episode, BD-I patients with psychotic features, the prevalence in this group being particularly high in association with a recent suicide attempt,
alcohol use disorder, learning disability, or manic polarity in the first episode.
Bipolar I disorder often coexists with other disorders including
PTSD, substance use disorders, and a variety of mood disorders.
Studies suggest that psychiatric comorbidities correlate with further impairment of day-to-day life. Up to 40% of people with bipolar disorder also present with PTSD, with higher rates occurring in women and individuals with bipolar I disorder.
A diagnosis of bipolar 1 disorder is only given if bipolar episodes are not better accounted for by
schizoaffective disorder or superimposed on
schizophrenia
Schizophrenia () is a mental disorder characterized variously by hallucinations (typically, Auditory hallucination#Schizophrenia, hearing voices), delusions, thought disorder, disorganized thinking and behavior, and Reduced affect display, f ...
,
schizophreniform disorder,
delusional disorder
Delusional disorder, traditionally synonymous with paranoia, is a mental illness in which a person has delusions, but with no accompanying prominent hallucinations, thought disorder, mood disorder, or significant flattening of affect. Ameri ...
, or a
psychotic disorder not otherwise specified.
Medical assessment
Regular medical assessments are performed to rule-out secondary causes of mania and depression.
These tests include
complete blood count,
glucose
Glucose is a sugar with the Chemical formula#Molecular formula, molecular formula , which is often abbreviated as Glc. It is overall the most abundant monosaccharide, a subcategory of carbohydrates. It is mainly made by plants and most algae d ...
, serum chemistry/electrolyte panel,
thyroid function test,
liver function test,
renal function test,
urinalysis
Urinalysis, a portmanteau of the words ''urine'' and ''analysis'', is a Test panel, panel of medical tests that includes physical (macroscopic) examination of the urine, chemical evaluation using urine test strips, and #Microscopic examination, m ...
,
vitamin B12
Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is a water-soluble vitamin involved in metabolism. One of eight B vitamins, it serves as a vital cofactor (biochemistry), cofactor in DNA synthesis and both fatty acid metabolism, fatty acid and amino a ...
and
folate levels,
HIV screening,
syphilis screening, and
pregnancy test, and when clinically indicated, an
electrocardiogram (ECG), an
electroencephalogram (EEG), a
computed tomography (CT scan), and/or a
magnetic resonance imagining (MRI) may be ordered.
Drug screening includes
recreational drugs, particularly
synthetic cannabinoids, and exposure to toxins.
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (DSM-IV-TR)
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5)
In May 2013,
American Psychiatric Association released the fifth edition of the
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
The ''Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders'' (''DSM''; latest edition: ''DSM-5-TR'', published in March 2022) is a publication by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) for the classification of mental disorders using a com ...
(
DSM-5
The ''Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition'' (DSM-5), is the 2013 update to the '' Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders'', the taxonomic and diagnostic tool published by the American Psychiat ...
). There are several proposed revisions to occur in the diagnostic criteria of Bipolar I Disorder and its subtypes. For Bipolar I Disorder 296.40 (most recent episode hypomanic) and 296.4x (most recent episode manic), the proposed revision includes the following specifiers: with
psychotic features, with
mixed features, with
catatonic features, with rapid cycling, with
anxiety
Anxiety is an emotion characterised by an unpleasant state of inner wikt:turmoil, turmoil and includes feelings of dread over Anticipation, anticipated events. Anxiety is different from fear in that fear is defined as the emotional response ...
(mild to severe), with
suicide risk severity, with
seasonal pattern, and with
postpartum onset.
Bipolar I Disorder 296.5x (most recent episode depressed) will include all of the above specifiers plus the following: with
melancholic features and with atypical features.
The categories for specifiers will be removed in DSM-5 and criterion A will add or there are at least 3 symptoms of major
depression of which one of the symptoms is
depressed mood or
anhedonia.
For Bipolar I Disorder 296.7 (most recent episode unspecified), the listed specifiers will be removed.''
''
The criteria for manic and hypomanic episodes in criteria A & B will be edited. Criterion A will include "and present most of the day, nearly every day", and criterion B will include "and represent a noticeable change from usual behavior". These criteria as defined in the DSM-IV-TR have created confusion for clinicians and need to be more clearly defined.
There have also been proposed revisions to criterion B of the diagnostic criteria for a Hypomanic Episode, which is used to diagnose For Bipolar I Disorder 296.40, Most Recent Episode Hypomanic. Criterion B lists "inflated self-esteem, flight of ideas, distractibility, and decreased need for sleep" as symptoms of a Hypomanic Episode. This has been confusing in the field of child psychiatry because these symptoms closely overlap with symptoms of
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and emotional dysregulation that are excessive and pervasive, impairing in multiple con ...
(ADHD).
ICD-10
* F31 Bipolar Affective Disorder
* F31.6 Bipolar Affective Disorder, Current Episode Mixed
* F30 Manic Episode
* F30.0 Hypomania
* F30.1 Mania Without Psychotic Symptoms
* F30.2 Mania With Psychotic Symptoms
* F32 Depressive Episode
* F32.0 Mild Depressive Episode
* F32.1 Moderate Depressive Episode
* F32.2 Severe Depressive Episode Without Psychotic Symptoms
* F32.3 Severe Depressive Episode With Psychotic Symptoms
Treatment
Medication
Mood stabilizers are often used as part of the treatment process.
#
Lithium
Lithium (from , , ) is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol Li and atomic number 3. It is a soft, silvery-white alkali metal. Under standard temperature and pressure, standard conditions, it is the least dense metal and the ...
is the mainstay in the management of bipolar disorder but it has a narrow
therapeutic range and typically requires monitoring
#
Anticonvulsants, such as
valproate,
carbamazepine, or
lamotrigine
#
Atypical antipsychotics, such as
quetiapine,
risperidone
Risperidone, sold under the brand name Risperdal among others, is an atypical antipsychotic used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, as well as aggressive and self-injurious behaviors associated with autism spectrum disorder. It is t ...
,
olanzapine, or
aripiprazole
#
Electroconvulsive therapy
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a psychiatry, psychiatric treatment that causes a generalized seizure by passing electrical current through the brain. ECT is often used as an intervention for mental disorders when other treatments are inadequ ...
, a psychiatric treatment in which
seizures are
electrically induced in
anesthetized patients for
therapeutic effect
Antidepressant
Antidepressants are a class of medications used to treat major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, chronic pain, and addiction.
Common side effects of antidepressants include Xerostomia, dry mouth, weight gain, dizziness, headaches, akathi ...
-induced mania occurs in 20–40% of people with bipolar disorder. Mood stabilizers, especially lithium, may protect against this effect, but some research contradicts this.
A frequent problem in these individuals is non-adherence to pharmacological treatment; long-acting injectable antipsychotics may contribute to solving this issue in some patients.
A review of validated treatment guidelines for bipolar disorder by international bodies was published in 2020.
Prognosis
Bipolar I usually has a poor prognosis, which is associated with substance abuse, psychotic features, depressive symptoms, and inter-episode depression. A manic episode can be so severe that it requires hospitalization. An estimated 63% of all BP-I related mania results in hospitalization. The natural course of BP-I, if left untreated, leads to episodes becoming more frequent or severe over time. The absolute risk of suicide is highest for BP-I than all other mood and mental disorders. Up to a quarter of individuals with BP-I die by suicide. Individuals with BP-I typically have a shorter life expectancy compared to the general population, with estimates suggesting a reduction of 11 to 20 years. With proper treatment, individuals with BP-I can, however, lead a healthy lifestyle.
Education
Psychosocial interventions can be used for managing acute depressive episodes and for maintenance treatment to aid in relapse prevention.
This includes
psychoeducation,
cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), family-focused therapy (FFT),
interpersonal and social rhythm therapy (IPSRT), and
peer support.
Information on the condition, importance of regular sleep patterns, routines and eating habits and the importance of
compliance with medication as
prescribed.
Behavior modification through
counseling can have positive influence to help reduce the effects of risky behavior during the manic phase. Additionally, the lifetime prevalence for bipolar I disorder is estimated to be 1%.
See also
*
List of people with bipolar disorder
*
Outline of bipolar disorder
*
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder (BD), previously known as manic depression, is a mental disorder characterized by periods of Depression (mood), depression and periods of abnormally elevated Mood (psychology), mood that each last from days to weeks, and in ...
*
Bipolar disorders research
*
Bipolar II disorder
*
Cyclothymia
*
Bipolar NOS
*
Borderline personality disorder
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a personality disorder characterized by a pervasive, long-term pattern of significant interpersonal relationship instability, an acute fear of Abandonment (emotional), abandonment, and intense emotiona ...
*
Creativity and bipolar disorder
*
Detailed listing of DSM-IV-TR bipolar disorder diagnostics codes
*
Emotional dysregulation
*
International Society for Bipolar Disorders
*
Kleine–Levin syndrome
*
Major depressive disorder
Major depressive disorder (MDD), also known as clinical depression, is a mental disorder characterized by at least two weeks of pervasive depression (mood), low mood, low self-esteem, and anhedonia, loss of interest or pleasure in normally ...
*
Racing thoughts
*
Seasonal affective disorder
References
{{Bipolar disorder
Bipolar spectrum
Depression (mood)
Mood disorders
Psychotherapy
Psychiatry