Journal of Affective Disorders
Volume 78, Issue 1 , Pages 81-84, January 2004

Earlier onset of bipolar disorder in children by antidepressants or stimulants? An hypothesis

  • Catrien G. Reichart

      Affiliations

    • Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Sophia Children’s Hospital/Erasmus University of Rotterdam, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, Rotterdam 3015 GD, The Netherlands
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +31-10-463-4551; fax: +31-10-463-3217.
    • ,
  • Willem A. Nolen

      Affiliations

    • Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht and Altrecht Institute for Mental Health Care, Utrecht, The Netherlands

Received 17 January 2002; received in revised form 15 May 2002; accepted 27 May 2002.

Abstract 

Among adults and adolescents, bipolar disorder (BD) has a similar prevalence in the US and in the Netherlands. However, among pre-pubertal children, BD is frequently diagnosed in the US and seldomly in the Netherlands. This suggests that, among children, the prevalence of BD is lower in the Netherlands than in the US, indicating an earlier onset of BD in the US than in the Netherlands. It is hypothesized that this may be related to the greater use of antidepressants and stimulants for depression or attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity by US children. In those children who are genetically at risk to develop BD, these drugs may lead to a switch into mania.

Keywords:  Bipolar disorder, Children, Antidepressants, Stimulants

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PII: S0165-0327(02)00180-5

doi:10.1016/S0165-0327(02)00180-5

Journal of Affective Disorders
Volume 78, Issue 1 , Pages 81-84, January 2004

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