Clinical features of soft bipolarity in major depressive inpatients.

Because of the difficulties of ascertaining episode of hypomania by past history of the patients, it is of clinical value to find variables which predict the development of bipolar II disorder in depressive patients. Taking advantage of relatively long hospitalization, the authors tried to elucidate fine clinical features of the soft bipolarity. The subjects were 39 patients with Major Depressive Episode, diagnosed according to the 4th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual criteria.