Objective: For the past hundred years most clinical work and research in psychiatry has proceeded under the assumption that schizophrenia and bipolar disorders are distinct entities with separate underlying disease processes and treatments (1). However, DSM-IV-TR and ICD-10 criteria do not fully account for patients' varying presentations. Inconsistent diagnostic criteria can be problematic for clinicians when treating patients (2). Recently, findings emerging from genetic studies show increasing evidence for an overlap between schizophrenia and bipolar disorders in genetic susceptibility across the traditional classification categories (3). From this aspect of view, we aim to evaluate hypomanic symptoms in schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. Methods: 30 patients, who are diagnosed with schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders according to DSM-IV, were recruited from inpatient clinic. Hypomania Check List-32(HCL-32), Mood Disorders Questionnaire (MDQ) and Bipolarity Index (BPI) were applied to patients. Descriptive statistics and Mann-Whitney U test were used for statistical analysis. Results: One third of patients had higher scores than 20 in HCL-32, while half of them had higher scores than 7 in MDQ. Twenty percent patients (n=6) had higher scores than 20 in HCL-32 and 7 in MDQ. Mean BPI scores were 21.33± in these patients. Some patients (20%) were prescribed mood stabilizers at previous psychiatric treatment. Conclusion: These findings support the spectrum model for psychiatric disorders with showing that psychotic patients may have respectable hypomanic symptoms during their illness course. Further studies are required to confirm our results.
References:
1.CraddockN,OwenMJ.TheBeginningOfTheEndForTheKraepelinianDichotomy.BrJPsychiatry2005;186:364-366.
2.FryeMA.DiagnosticDilemmasAndClinicalCorrelatesOfMixedStatesInBipolarDisorder.JClinPsychiatry2008;69:13.
3.CraddockN,O’DonovanMC,OwenMJ.GenesForSchizophreniaAndBipolarDisorder?ImplicationsForPsychiatricNosology.SchizophrBull2006;32:9–16.