Disentangling pediatric bipolar disorder and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder: A neuropsychological approach.

The clinical and diagnostic debate circulating pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD) has been highlighted as one of the most controversial themes in child psychiatry. With atypical symptomatic expression, constituting its predominant diagnostic discrepancy, PBD is manifested through prolonged manic episodes and affective storms, lacking the symptomatic cycling and episodic nature presented in adult BD. Apart from its unique clinical presentation, the substantial symptomatic overlap with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) indicate an important diagnostic challenge in PBD.