LIFE EVENTS AND PRIMARY AFFECTIVE-DISORDERS - A ONE-YEAR PROSPECTIVE-STUDY

Background. Unipolar and bipolar patients with a chronic illness patte rn were investigated to determine whether they experienced a higher nu mber of life events prior to the onset of recurrent affective episodes . Method. The study participants consisted of 27 recovered bipolar pat ients, 24 recovered unipolar patients and 26 healthy control subjects. Life events and psychiatric status were assessed by bimonthly intervi ews over the period of one year using the Inventory for Recent Life Ev ents and the Research Diagnostic Criteria. Results. In both unipolar a nd bipolar patients, analyses revealed no significant differences in t he number of life events experienced, irrespective of whether the pati ents had presented with a depressive episode of at least minor intensi ty during the study (all P>0.1). Specifically, an increase in marital problems was observed in bipolar patients prior to the onset of recurr ent hypomanic and manic episodes (P=0.06). Conclusion. The causal asso ciation between life events and the onset of depression, shown to be r elevant in non-chronically depressed subjects, does not apply in chron ic affective disorders. In addition, our results suggest that marital events have an impact on the onset of recurrent hypomanic and manic ep isodes.