Adult ADHD Affects Course of Comorbid Bipolar Disorder

A new study suggests that comorbid ADHD can negatively affect the social adjustment of adult with Bipolar Disorder.

A study published in the European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience has assessed the effects of comorbid ADHD in adults with Bipolar Disorder.

Dr. Lut Tamam and his colleagues from the Department of Psychiatry at Cukurova University Faculty of Medicine in Turkey studied 159 adults diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. In that group, about 16 percent also had diagnoses of adult ADHD, and an additional 11 percent had been diagnosed with ADHD as children, but no longer met the criteria for diagnosis.

The researchers found an earlier onset of Bipolar Disorder and an increased number of manic or depressive episodes in participants who also had adult ADHD or had been diagnosed with ADHD in childhood. They also saw evidence of an increased risk for other psychiatric diagnoses, such as panic disorder and substance abuse or dependence in those participants with both Bipolar Disorder and adult ADHD.

Dr. Tamam and his colleagues concluded that ADHD may have a negative impact on the course and outcome of Bipolar Disorder, but that "regular monitoring" of ADHD symptoms can reduce this effect.

Read a summary of the study or download the full article for more information.