Childhood Clinical Features Preceding the Onset of Bipolar Versus Major Depressive Disorders During Adolescence.

To identify childhood psychopathological features that predict the onset of adolescent Bipolar (BD) versus Unipolar Major Depressive Disorder (UD) during adolescence. We analyzed clinical data from 495 juveniles diagnosed with DSM-5 UD ( BD subjects exhibited earlier onset of any psychiatric feature compared to UD. Antecedents associated with later BD were: oppositional defiant > specific phobias > ADHD > obsessive compulsive (OCD). Antecedents selectively associated with later UD were: social anxiety and separation anxiety. Factors significantly and independently associated with later BD diagnosis were: [a] emotional dysregulation at onset of the mood disorder; [b] first depressive episode with mixed features; [c] antecedent ADHD; [d] antecedent OCD, and [e] antecedent oppositional-defiance. Identifying developmental differences in BD and UD symptoms can aid clinicians in early identification and treatment planning for bipolar disorder in youth.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.