Bipolar spectrum disorder: Improving its recognition and diagnosis

The lifetime prevalence of bipolar I disorder is approximately 1%. However. the prevalence of bipolar spectrum disorder is substantially higher Bipola r spectrum disorder is a longitudinal diagnosis characterized by abnormal m ood swings comprising some of the following cross-sectional clinical states : mania, hypomania, mixed states, hyperthymic temperament, major depressive episode. and dr pressive mixed state. Most bipolar spectrum patients prese nt for treatment during a depressive episode. and therefore clinicians ofte n miss the diagnosis of bipolar spectrum disorder. Several studies have doc umented that patients often wait as long as 10 years for the correct diagno sis of bipolar spectrum disorder. One way to increase recognition of bipola r spectrum disorder is to screen for it. A recently introduced screening in strument for bipolar spectrum disorder, the Mood Disorder Questionnaire, is described.