Bipolar disorder in the latter half of life: symptom presentation, global functioning and age of onset.

摘要: Background: Little is known about bipolar disorder in late life. Recent research has been acute, in-patient, settings, and focused on late-onset mania, or produced samples with surprisingly mean ages of onset. No recent study used a larger out-patient sample to address late-life outcomes disorder. Methods: 86 community-residing, middle-aged older adults who met RDC for I II were interviewed using the Schedule Affective Disorders Schizophrenia, three times over 8 months. Results: Participants primarily unmarried impoverished. Most living alone immediate family members. The majority depressive episodes. Depressive symptoms more common predictive functioning than manic symptoms. Age onset was related global functioning. effect age mediated by number Conclusion: this had supports maintain them community spite chronic intermittently cycling manifestations affective limited medication. Consistent prior research, early poorer functioning, apparently increasing severity Limitations: Limitations stem from possible exclusion those people worst best outcomes. It also relatively young gerontological study. Clinical Relevance: suggests that attention needs be paid diagnosing treating episodes later