HOMEPRODUCTSCOMPANYCONTACTFAQResearchDictionaryPharmaSign Up FREE or Login

Fertility and childhood bipolar disorder.

Abstract
The observation that the diagnosis of bipolar illness is increasingly being made in the young is fascinating and potentially quite instructive. Several potential reasons have been put forward, which may all play a role. These include increased awareness, a cohort effect, changes in the diagnostic criteria, increased use of stimulants and antidepressants unmasking the illness, and others. It is interesting to note that this increase in recognition of bipolar illness in the young comes about one generation after the introduction of lithium as a therapeutic agent in bipolar disorder. We propose that the introduction of lithium may have increased fertility (broadly defined) of bipolar patients allowing for the expression of genetic anticipation by having a second and third generation of offspring that are affected at earlier ages. A similar phenomenon was seen in schizophrenia after the introduction of phenothiazines for the treatment of psychosis. These pharmacologic and social changes may have all conspired to increase reproductive success of bipolar subjects, giving rise to a new generation of bipolar patients with earlier onset and more severe manifestation of their disorder.
AuthorsAnton Agus S Surja, Rif S El-Mallakh
JournalMedical hypotheses (Med Hypotheses) Vol. 69 Issue 3 Pg. 587-9 ( 2007) ISSN: 0306-9877 [Print] United States
PMID17379426 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
Chemical References
  • Antipsychotic Agents
  • Lithium Compounds
Topics
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age of Onset
  • Anticipation, Genetic
  • Antipsychotic Agents (therapeutic use)
  • Bipolar Disorder (complications, genetics)
  • Fertility
  • Humans
  • Lithium Compounds (therapeutic use)
  • Models, Biological
  • Models, Theoretical
  • Schizophrenia (complications, genetics)

Join CureHunter, for free Research Interface BASIC access!

Take advantage of free CureHunter research engine access to explore the best drug and treatment options for any disease. Find out why thousands of doctors, pharma researchers and patient activists around the world use CureHunter every day.
Realize the full power of the drug-disease research graph!


Choose Username:
Email:
Password:
Verify Password:
Enter Code Shown: