Mental Health
Bipolar Disorder
Diagnosis Latest News
Using Genetics to Improve Diagnostics - [07/17/08]
Summary: The DSM-V is currently being prepared, the newest version of the psychiatric diagnostic manual. Researchers are planning to use genetics as a larger part of diagnostics, since many of the disorders have similar symptoms. This is based on a study showing that four regions of the chromosome can be used to diagnose mental disorders that are currently not being used as part of DSM-IV.
Comment: Since many mental disorders have similar symptoms it can be hard for these disorders to be correctly diagnosed. By using genetics in the new diagnostics manual physicians and mental health professionals could be better able to diagnose and treat mental disorders.
Read article - ScienceDaily July 17, 2008
Bipolar Disorder May Be Over-Diagnosed - [05/06/08]
Summary: The results of a new study suggest that more than half of patients previously diagnosed with bipolar disorder actually have the disorder following re-evaluation with a diagnostic tool called the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID). The study authors suspect that clinicians are more include to diagnose disorder for which medications and other treatments are readily available.
Comment: People who have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder should not make any assumptions about whether they really have the condition based on these study results. However, if they question whether they have been accurately diagnosed, they can ask their healthcare provider to re-evaluate their condition using the SCID tool.
Read article - Healthfinder.gov. May 6, 2008.
Recognize the Signs, Symptoms of Depressive Illness - [04/23/08]
Summary: The most common signs of anxiety and depression include feelings of being down or blue, phobias, uncontrollable worrying, poor concentration, loss of pleasure, sleeping problems, panic attacks, unexplainable aches, pains or headaches, obsessions, rituals, and ongoing feelings of nervousness or tension. Sometimes, anxiety can produce physical symptoms.
Comment: Over a dozen national health organizations have organized National Anxiety and Depressive Awareness Week for May 4 - 10. You can screen yourself for anxiety or another depressive illness for free at the second link below or by calling 1-888-442-2022.
Read article - Medical News Today. April 23, 2008.
Read article - Freedom From Fear.
Bipolar Children May Not Recognize Facial Expressions Well - [03/04/08]
Summary: A new study by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) suggests that difficulty identifying facial expressions may be a warning sign of pediatric bipolar disorder. In the study, children diagnosed with pediatric bipolar disorder and children who were at risk (meaning they have a sibling or parent with bipolar disorder) were equally likely to incorrectly identify facial expressions. Dr. Ellen Leibenluft, chief of the intramural NIMH Section on Bipolar Spectrum Disorders said that knowledge about the circuitry of basic processes (like facial expression recognition) can be a "Rosetta Stone" for greater understanding of bipolar disorder.
Comment: This article also includes information from other studies on such topics as imaging of the amygdala and MRI studies of brain activity during facial recognition tests. This data help to more fully illustrate the differences between brain function of children with bipolar disorder and those without.
Read article - NIMH. Match 4, 2008.
Blood Test Could Be Used to Diagnose Mental Illness - [02/26/08]
Summary: Mood disorders and other psychiatric conditions can be difficult to diagnose, because there has not been a way to observe molecular changes in the brain while the patient is living. However, researchers at Indiana University School of Medicine have isolated biomarkers in the blood that indicate levels of depression or mania. That means that soon a blood test could be used to help diagnose and treat bipolar disorder.
Comment: The findings give psychiatrists an objective scale to measure symptoms and evaluate the effectiveness of medication. Larger studies will chart the effect of various treatment on the mood biomarkers and look for biomarkers for other psychiatric diseases.
Read article - ScienceDaily. February 26, 2008.