#795: Surge in youth bipolar disorder
Here could be a worthwhile avenue of research on mobile phone use by young people. Could mobile phone use be a factor in bipolar disorder and/or should it be considered in treatment? Perhaps the apparent “surge” may be just due to over-diagnosing or better reporting as mark Olfson suggests below but the advice of the Russian National Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (RNCNIRP) should be considered. Not only to they advise against mobile phone use by children but they specifically state that people with neurological conditions should not use phones as it could worsen the symptoms. However, the problem Yuri Grigoriev mentioned to me at the 2004 Mobile phone conference in Moscow is that this age group are so addicted to their phones, preventing their use would cause depression and withdraw symptoms.
Interesting that parents are so worried about drug addiction with their children but are oblivious to the same thing when it comes to their kids using mobile phones.
Don
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From World Science
Surge in youth bipolar disorder diagnoses seen
http://www.world-science.net/othernews/070904_bipolar.htm
Sept. 4, 2007
Courtesy NIH/National Institute of Mental Health
and World Science staff
The numÂber of visÂits to a docÂtor”™s ofÂfice that led to a diÂagÂnoÂsis of biÂpoÂlar disÂorÂder in youths has risen 40-fold in the U.S. over the last decÂade, reÂsearchÂers have found.
The surge probably reÂflects a “reÂcent tenÂdenÂcy to overÂdiÂagÂnose biÂpoÂlar disÂorÂder in young peoÂple, a corÂrecÂtion of hisÂtorÂiÂcal unÂder-recognition, or a comÂbinaÂtÂion of these,” said Mark OlfÂson of CoÂlumÂbia UnÂiversÂity”™s New York State PsyÂchiÂatÂric InÂstiÂtute in New York, a memÂber of the reÂsearch team. “Clearly, we need to learn more” about how doctors are diÂagÂnosing the disÂorÂder in chilÂdren and adoÂlesÂcents.
BiÂpoÂlar disÂorÂder is a menÂtal illÂness charÂacÂterÂized by cyÂcles of deÂpresÂsion and elaÂtÂion, or maÂnia.
AlÂso over the past decÂade, the numÂber of visÂits by adults reÂsultÂing in a biÂpoÂlar disÂorÂder diÂagÂnoÂsis alÂmost douÂbled, OlÂson”™s team found, adding that the cause of this is alÂso unÂclear. The study is pubÂlished in the SepÂtemÂber isÂsue of the reÂsearch journal ArÂchives of GenÂerÂal PsyÂchiÂaÂtry.
DocÂtors face tough quesÂtions when deÂcidÂing on treatÂment for young peoÂple, OlfÂson and colÂleagues said. GuideÂlines for treatÂing adults with biÂpoÂlar disÂorÂder are well-docÂuÂmentÂed, but few studÂies have looked at the effects of psyÂchiÂatÂric medÂicaÂtÂions for treatÂing chilÂdren and adoÂlesÂcents with the disÂorÂder. DeÂspite this limÂitÂed evÂiÂdence, the reÂsearchÂers found siÂmÂiÂlar treatÂment patÂterns for both age groups in terms of psyÂchoÂtherÂaÂpy and preÂscripÂtion medÂicaÂtÂions.
Of the medÂicaÂtÂions studÂied, mood staÂbiÂlizÂers, inÂcludÂing lithÂiÂum, were preÂscribed in two-thirds of the visÂits by youth and adults, the team found. AnÂtiÂconÂvulÂsant medÂicaÂtÂions, such as valÂproate (DeÂpakote) and carÂbaÂmazepine (TegreÂtol), were the most freÂquently preÂscribed type of mood staÂbiÂlizÂers.
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