Lifetime psychopathology among the offspring of Bipolar I parents

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have demonstrated high rates of psychopathology in the offspring of parents with bipolar disorder. The aim of this study was to identify psychiatric diagnoses in a sample of children of bipolar parents. METHOD: This case series comprised 35 children and adolescents aged 6...

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Main Authors: Marcelo C. Zappitelli, Isabel A. Bordin, John P. Hatch, Sheila C. Caetano, Giovana Zunta-Soares, Rene L. Olvera, Jair C. Soares
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Faculdade de Medicina / USP 2011-01-01
Series:Clinics
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1807-59322011000500003
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spelling doaj-62797aa0519f428ea83b8b1e6534bed12020-11-25T00:17:34ZengFaculdade de Medicina / USPClinics1807-59321980-53222011-01-0166572573010.1590/S1807-59322011000500003Lifetime psychopathology among the offspring of Bipolar I parentsMarcelo C. ZappitelliIsabel A. BordinJohn P. HatchSheila C. CaetanoGiovana Zunta-SoaresRene L. OlveraJair C. SoaresBACKGROUND: Recent studies have demonstrated high rates of psychopathology in the offspring of parents with bipolar disorder. The aim of this study was to identify psychiatric diagnoses in a sample of children of bipolar parents. METHOD: This case series comprised 35 children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 years, with a mean age of 12.5 + 2.9 years (20 males and 15 females), who had at least one parent with bipolar disorder type I. The subjects were assessed using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children - Present and Lifetime version (K-SADS-PL). Family psychiatric history and demographics were also evaluated. RESULTS: Of the offspring studied, 71.4% had a lifetime diagnosis of at least one psychiatric disorder (28.6% with a mood disorder, 40% with a disruptive behavior disorder and 20% with an anxiety disorder). Pure mood disorders (11.4%) occurred less frequently than mood disorders comorbid with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (17.1%). Psychopathology was commonly reported in second-degree relatives of the offspring of parents with bipolar disorder (71.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Our results support previous findings of an increased risk for developing psychopathology, predominantly mood and disruptive disorders, in the offspring of bipolar individuals. Prospective studies with larger samples are needed to confirm and expand these results.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1807-59322011000500003Bipolar DisorderOffspringPsychopathologyChildAdolescent
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Marcelo C. Zappitelli
Isabel A. Bordin
John P. Hatch
Sheila C. Caetano
Giovana Zunta-Soares
Rene L. Olvera
Jair C. Soares
spellingShingle Marcelo C. Zappitelli
Isabel A. Bordin
John P. Hatch
Sheila C. Caetano
Giovana Zunta-Soares
Rene L. Olvera
Jair C. Soares
Lifetime psychopathology among the offspring of Bipolar I parents
Clinics
Bipolar Disorder
Offspring
Psychopathology
Child
Adolescent
author_facet Marcelo C. Zappitelli
Isabel A. Bordin
John P. Hatch
Sheila C. Caetano
Giovana Zunta-Soares
Rene L. Olvera
Jair C. Soares
author_sort Marcelo C. Zappitelli
title Lifetime psychopathology among the offspring of Bipolar I parents
title_short Lifetime psychopathology among the offspring of Bipolar I parents
title_full Lifetime psychopathology among the offspring of Bipolar I parents
title_fullStr Lifetime psychopathology among the offspring of Bipolar I parents
title_full_unstemmed Lifetime psychopathology among the offspring of Bipolar I parents
title_sort lifetime psychopathology among the offspring of bipolar i parents
publisher Faculdade de Medicina / USP
series Clinics
issn 1807-5932
1980-5322
publishDate 2011-01-01
description BACKGROUND: Recent studies have demonstrated high rates of psychopathology in the offspring of parents with bipolar disorder. The aim of this study was to identify psychiatric diagnoses in a sample of children of bipolar parents. METHOD: This case series comprised 35 children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 years, with a mean age of 12.5 + 2.9 years (20 males and 15 females), who had at least one parent with bipolar disorder type I. The subjects were assessed using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children - Present and Lifetime version (K-SADS-PL). Family psychiatric history and demographics were also evaluated. RESULTS: Of the offspring studied, 71.4% had a lifetime diagnosis of at least one psychiatric disorder (28.6% with a mood disorder, 40% with a disruptive behavior disorder and 20% with an anxiety disorder). Pure mood disorders (11.4%) occurred less frequently than mood disorders comorbid with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (17.1%). Psychopathology was commonly reported in second-degree relatives of the offspring of parents with bipolar disorder (71.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Our results support previous findings of an increased risk for developing psychopathology, predominantly mood and disruptive disorders, in the offspring of bipolar individuals. Prospective studies with larger samples are needed to confirm and expand these results.
topic Bipolar Disorder
Offspring
Psychopathology
Child
Adolescent
url http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1807-59322011000500003
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