Group psycho-education for bipolar disorder.

Psycho-education is an established intervention for various physical and mental health conditions. This article describes a psycho-education programme developed for people with bipolar disorder. The courses appear to have been beneficial to participants and appraisal of the intervention is ongoing.

Effects of chronic lithium treatment on renal function.

Introduction: Lithium treatment is associated with renal side effects which vary from mild nephrogenic diabetes insipidus to end stage renal disease (ESRD). A review of the literature suggests that ESRD is a very rare side effect, caused after very long-term lithium treatment, and that it might be preventable if lithium is stopped early.

Methods: Sixty-one patients were treated with lithium for a mean of 15.

Age-at-onset in bipolar-I disorder: mixture analysis of 1369 cases identifies three distinct clinical sub-groups.

Background: To assess whether bipolar disorder type I segregates into three clinically distinct sub-groups defined by age-at-onset.

Methods: Clinical data were available on 1369 individuals with DSM-IV bipolar I disorder. Mixture analysis was performed on the age-at-onset (AAO) data to determine whether they were composed of more than one normal distribution.

The effectiveness of electroconvulsive therapy in treatment-resistant depression: a naturalistic study.

Objectives: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a very effective treatment of major depressive disorder. However, its use has been declining over the years in the United Kingdom, where it is now reserved for cases where all other treatment options have failed. We wanted to assess whether ECT is still highly effective in such a severely treatment-resistant population.

A cross-sectional and a prospective study of thyroid disorders in lithium-treated patients.

Background: The effects of lithium treatment on the thyroid gland have been demonstrated in a number of studies. Most of this research is based on cross-sectional studies and prospective studies are required to confirm these observations.

Method: During our genetic association studies, we recruited 115 males and 159 females suffering with affective disorders who had received lithium treatment.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation for patients with depression.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a relatively new technique which has been used to treat depression. It delivers magnetic radiation to the head using a hand-held coil. Some studies have indicated clinical remission of depressive symptomatology with use of TMS.

Add-on topiramate reduces weight in overweight patients with affective disorders: a clinical case series.

Background: The weight-gain caused by many psychotropic drugs is a major cause for poor compliance with such medications and could also increase cardio-vascular morbidity among psychiatric patients. Recent reports have shown that the anticonvulsant topiramate causes weight loss in various patient groups. The drug has also shown effectiveness in open trials as a mood stabilizer in patients with affective disorders, but not in controlled trials in the acute treatment of mania.