Epidemiology and risk factors for bipolar disorder.

ABSTRACT: Bipolar disorder is a multifactorial illness with uncertain aetiology. Knowledge of potential risk factors enables clinicians to identify patients who are more likely to develop bipolar disorder, which directs further investigation, follow up and caution when prescribing. Ideally, identifying directly causative factors for bipolar disorder would enable intervention on an individual or population level to prevent the development of the illness, and improve outcomes through earlier treatment. This article reviews the epidemiology of bipolar disorder, along with putative demographic, genetic and environmental risk factors, while assessing the strength of these associations and to what extent they might be said to be 'causative'. While numerous genetic and environmental risk factors have been

SUBMITTER: Rowland TA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6116765 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature