The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

Bipolar disorder and comorbid attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. A distinct clinical phenotype? Clinical characteristics and temperamental traits1

Bipolar disorder and comorbid attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. A distinct clinical phenotype? Clinical characteristics and temperamental traits1
Bipolar disorder and comorbid attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. A distinct clinical phenotype? Clinical characteristics and temperamental traits1
Objectives. It has been suggested that bipolar disorder (BD) with comorbid ADHD represents a distinct clinical phenotype of BD. There are no data regarding potential heterogeneity between BD subjects with a diagnosis of ADHD in childhood whose ADHD remitted in adulthood (cADHD-BD) vs. BD patients with persistent ADHD diagnosis in adulthood (aADHD-BD). This heterogeneity may constitute a confounder in investigations of the nature of the co-occurrence between BD and ADHD. The aim of this paper is to compare BD patients without ADHD, to those with aADHD-BD, and those with cADHD-BD on clinical and temperamental characteristics, hypothesizing that maladaptive temperament will be increased in BD subjects with a stable diagnosis of ADHD in adulthood compared to those whose ADHD remitted. We further hypothesize that maladaptive temperament will be associated with the severity of both illnesses. Methods. A total of 100 outpatients (aged 18–30 years) with BD in remission were included. The assessment of ADHD was made according to a procedure aimed to reduce potential recall biases. Subjects had to have a parent available and had never been treated with stimulants. Temperamental traits were assessed with the California Child Q-sort (CCQ) and the Early Adolescent Temperament Questionnaire (EATQ). Results. Rate of co-occurrence of ADHD-BD was 18% lifetime and 10% current diagnosis. Patients with ADHD-BD (aADHD-BD+cADHD-BD) reported a significantly earlier onset of mood disorder, higher number of previous mood episodes, and significantly higher impulsivity than BD patients without ADHD. aADHD-BD showed a significantly earlier BD onset, higher number of previous mood episodes, higher impulsivity, decreased Reactive Control and higher Negative Emotionality temperamental scores than cADHD patients. Conclusion. Findings suggest that patients with aADHD-BD present a clinical phenotype distinct from that of patients with BD without ADHD or with a childhood ADHD diagnosis that remitted with the age. This appealing hypothesis of a BD-distinct phenotype that can be detected early due to its associated maladaptive temperamental traits requires further investigation in larger samples, supported by neuropsychological, genetic and imaging data.
ADHD, bipolar disorder, impulsivity, temperament, adult
1562-2975
656-666
Bernardi, Silvia
6fd6a27b-afa8-4d99-97c1-8e7b06d38217
Cortese, Samuele
53d4bf2c-4e0e-4c77-9385-218350560fdb
Solanto, Mary
fbc1a1d9-5ff1-483a-9380-476e7b0346d3
Hollander, Eric
9c199e18-f117-4e49-ab07-8eb26b6eac0c
Pallanti, Stefano
d64e3605-980e-48a4-b70d-c70027986ec5
Bernardi, Silvia
6fd6a27b-afa8-4d99-97c1-8e7b06d38217
Cortese, Samuele
53d4bf2c-4e0e-4c77-9385-218350560fdb
Solanto, Mary
fbc1a1d9-5ff1-483a-9380-476e7b0346d3
Hollander, Eric
9c199e18-f117-4e49-ab07-8eb26b6eac0c
Pallanti, Stefano
d64e3605-980e-48a4-b70d-c70027986ec5

Bernardi, Silvia, Cortese, Samuele, Solanto, Mary, Hollander, Eric and Pallanti, Stefano (2010) Bipolar disorder and comorbid attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. A distinct clinical phenotype? Clinical characteristics and temperamental traits1. The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry, 11 (4), 656-666. (doi:10.3109/15622971003653238).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Objectives. It has been suggested that bipolar disorder (BD) with comorbid ADHD represents a distinct clinical phenotype of BD. There are no data regarding potential heterogeneity between BD subjects with a diagnosis of ADHD in childhood whose ADHD remitted in adulthood (cADHD-BD) vs. BD patients with persistent ADHD diagnosis in adulthood (aADHD-BD). This heterogeneity may constitute a confounder in investigations of the nature of the co-occurrence between BD and ADHD. The aim of this paper is to compare BD patients without ADHD, to those with aADHD-BD, and those with cADHD-BD on clinical and temperamental characteristics, hypothesizing that maladaptive temperament will be increased in BD subjects with a stable diagnosis of ADHD in adulthood compared to those whose ADHD remitted. We further hypothesize that maladaptive temperament will be associated with the severity of both illnesses. Methods. A total of 100 outpatients (aged 18–30 years) with BD in remission were included. The assessment of ADHD was made according to a procedure aimed to reduce potential recall biases. Subjects had to have a parent available and had never been treated with stimulants. Temperamental traits were assessed with the California Child Q-sort (CCQ) and the Early Adolescent Temperament Questionnaire (EATQ). Results. Rate of co-occurrence of ADHD-BD was 18% lifetime and 10% current diagnosis. Patients with ADHD-BD (aADHD-BD+cADHD-BD) reported a significantly earlier onset of mood disorder, higher number of previous mood episodes, and significantly higher impulsivity than BD patients without ADHD. aADHD-BD showed a significantly earlier BD onset, higher number of previous mood episodes, higher impulsivity, decreased Reactive Control and higher Negative Emotionality temperamental scores than cADHD patients. Conclusion. Findings suggest that patients with aADHD-BD present a clinical phenotype distinct from that of patients with BD without ADHD or with a childhood ADHD diagnosis that remitted with the age. This appealing hypothesis of a BD-distinct phenotype that can be detected early due to its associated maladaptive temperamental traits requires further investigation in larger samples, supported by neuropsychological, genetic and imaging data.

This record has no associated files available for download.

More information

Published date: 2010
Keywords: ADHD, bipolar disorder, impulsivity, temperament, adult
Organisations: Clinical Neuroscience

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 380428
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/380428
ISSN: 1562-2975
PURE UUID: 610664ae-a772-4f95-ac8a-3e1c82e9f95d
ORCID for Samuele Cortese: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-5877-8075

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 21 Aug 2015 16:22
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:52

Export record

Altmetrics

Contributors

Author: Silvia Bernardi
Author: Samuele Cortese ORCID iD
Author: Mary Solanto
Author: Eric Hollander
Author: Stefano Pallanti

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×