The depression and mania symptoms of bipolar disorder can come and go. Researchers looked into what factors might predict relapse of symptoms. Bipolar mood episodes can show up as depression, mania, or mixed episodes that contain symptoms of both depression and mania. Mood episodes were more likely to show up again in people who had more limited access to services because they lived in rural areas and in people who were more severely disabled by their condition.  People with these risk factors could be the target of new interventions. Discuss bipolar symptoms with a psychia...

Ketamine is a drug commonly used in surgical anesthesia. A potential new use for this drug might be in the treatment of bipolar depression. A recent study found that an injection of ketamine improved mood within minutes for people with bipolar disorder, who were not responsive to other medications. The effects of the one-time injection lasted for up to two weeks. Ask your psychiatrist about available treatment options. In an effort to replicate previous findings, Carlos Zarate , MD, of the National Institute of Mental Health, and colleagues enrolled 15 people with either ty...

Impulsivity is the tendency to act without thinking ahead. People with major depressive disorder ( MDD ) or bipolar disorder may be more impulsive when they also have anxiety symptoms.

Past studies have shown that schizophrenia and epilepsy have similar structural brain and genetic abnormalities, leading researchers to believe they share a common origin or cause.

Babies born ahead of their time might need more than tiny clothes. They may also require parents to be more vigilant for signs of developing mental illness in their children.

Bipolar disorder is usually thought of cycling between highs and lows.  A new study shows that teens may be at risk for having mania without the depression, and this might hinder detection of the disorder.

Anxiety disorders are common in people with bipolar disorder, and having an anxiety disorder with bipolar may mean that managing bipolar symptoms is more difficult.

Bipolar disorder in children and teens is difficult to treat. Many medications on the market have not been tested in young people. A new study compares the safety and effectiveness of three drugs for bipolar disorder. Three medications, lithium, an antipsychotic, and a drug specifically approved for mania, were given to children and teens with bipolar disorder.  After eight weeks of treatment, the antipsychotic Risperdal ( risperidone ) was most effective for symptoms of mania, but it also caused severe weight gain. Researchers recommend caution and close monitoring when using...

Mixed mood states are those that have symptoms of depression and mania. They can occur in bipolar disorder and major depression, but treating the mixed state has been difficult.

The current guidelines to detect bipolar disorder are admittedly flawed.  The newly proposed criterion lessens the threshold for diagnoses and may do more harm than good for the patient says psychiatrist.