UC Study Finds Just 40% of Teens Rebound After Bipolar Treatment

(April 2, 2007) -- Fewer than four out of 10 bipolar teens recover enough to lead full lives after their first hospitalization for the disorder, new research from the University of Cincinnati found.

The study, led by UC psychiatrist Melissa DelBello, found that only 39 percent of teens recovered enough to show a significant reduction in symptoms and to function normally.

"Bipolar disorder is pretty common in adolescents, and the outcomes are pretty poor, unfortunately," she said.

The findings indicate practitioners need to focus more on symptom control, substance abuse prevention and making sure teens take the medications they're prescribed to keep symptoms in check, DelBello said.

About 85 percent of the 71 teens in the study recovered enough that they no longer met the textbook definition for bipolar disorder, but still had symptoms of the disease.

Teens who abused alcohol, had attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or who took only antidepressants, without also seeing a therapist, were more likely to see their symptoms recur, DelBello said.

The study also found disturbingly few bipolar teens stuck to their medication regimen in the first year after their diagnosis.

Only about 35 percent of the teens studied took all of their medications every day as directed, according to the research, published Sunday in "The American Journal of Psychiatry."

Bipolar disorder in teens is "pretty understudied," DelBello said, although the disease seems to be as common in adolescents as it is in adults. About 1 percent of teens 14-18 meet the criteria for bipolar disorder.

The disorder is especially troubling in teens because that time of life is so important in terms of social and intellectual development.

"It's a developmentally vulnerable period. If they can't function during adolescence, that's going to have lifelong consequences," DelBello said.

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The UC study is the first, to her knowledge, to look at all aspects of teens' recovery, including symptoms, social and emotional functioning and medication use.

Bipolar is a severe and sometimes disabling psychiatric disorder marked by periods of extreme "high" and "low" moods. Manic episodes are often accompanied by increased energy, unusual behavior and poor judgment, limited sleep and unrealistic beliefs.

By Peggy O'Farrell
Source: Enquirer.com

Last updated: 04/07

Related Information:

• Study Looks at Bipolar Youth
• Mood Swings and Substance Abuse in Adolescents
• Toddlers Diagnosed with Bipolar
• Impact of Antidepressant Discontinuation on Relapse, Remission, and Mood Episode Cycling in Bipolar Disorder
• Children of Rage and Sorrow - More Children are Battling Mental Illness
• Course of Bipolar Disorder in Youths Described for the First Time
• Bipolar Disorder in Children: How Common Is it?
• About Early-Onset Bipolar Disorder
• How to Help Your Child
• Treatment and Parent’s Role in Treating Your Bipolar Child
• Addressing Educational Needs of Children with Bipolar Disorder
• Living with Bipolar as a Teen: Dealing with School (for teens)
• Mood Swings and Substance Abuse
• Girls with Bipolar Disorder
• Bipolar Patients Show Differences in MRI
• Brain Damage From Bipolar Disorder
• What Causes Bipolar Disorder?
• Bipolar is a Serious Psychiatric Condition

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