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A Retrospective Case-Note Study of Bipolar Disorder in Old Age

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 January 2018

John Snowdon
John Snowdon*
Affiliation:
Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
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Abstract

In a replication of an earlier published study, case notes of 75 elderly in-patients with bipolar affective disorder were examined. Few of the patients had experienced a manic episode before the age of 40. Mean age of onset of affective disorder was 46 years, and first manic episode at 60 years. Cerebral insults before the first manic attacks were recorded in a substantial number of cases, and a family history of mental illness was less common among this group. Bipolar affective disorder is relatively common as a reason for admission of elderly patients.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 158 , Issue 4 , April 1991 , pp. 485 - 490
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1991 

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