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Psychiatria Danubina, Vol. 28 No. suppl 1, 2016.

Conference paper

BIPOLAR DISORDER AND EARLY AFFECTIVE TRAUMA

Aloise de Codt ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire et Psychiatrique de Mons-Borinage (CHUP-MB), Mons, Belgique
Pauline Monhonval ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire et Psychiatrique de Mons-Borinage (CHUP-MB), Mons, Belgique
Xavier Bongaerts ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire et Psychiatrique de Mons-Borinage (CHUP-MB), Mons, Belgique
Ikram Belkacemi ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire et Psychiatrique de Mons-Borinage (CHUP-MB), Mons, Belgique
Juan Martin Tecco ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire et Psychiatrique de Mons-Borinage (CHUP-MB), Mons, Belgique

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Abstract

Background: Bipolar disorder is a chronic psychiatric disease with a high prevalence and is a major psychosocial and medical
burden. The exact etiological pathways of bipolar disorder are not fully understood. Genetic factors are known to play an important
role in the etiology of bipolar disorder. However, high rates of discordance among identical twins and a growing body of evidence
that environmental factors such as early stress can influence the onset and course of psychiatric diseases underline the importance of
additional etiological mechanisms of bipolar disorders. There has been little investigation about early trauma in bipolar disorder.
The aim of this study was to review the literature on the association between early traumatic interactions like child neglect,
mistreatment, abuse or early parental separation and the occurrence of bipolar disorder in adulthood or impact on the course of
the disease.
Methods: Studies investigating associations between child neglect, mistreatment, abuse or early parental separation and
occurrence of bipolar disorder in adulthood or impact on the course of the disease were searched in the Pubmed database. More
than 700 articles were sorted independently by two of the authors using predefined criteria. Only research articles, reviews and
meta-analyses were selected for this review.
Results: 53 articles met the inclusion criteria. To date, four systematic reviews partially addressed our research question. Early
trauma is more frequently found in the past of bipolar patients than in the general population. Studies support a harmful effect of
childhood trauma on the course of bipolar disease, with more anxious, depressive or psychotic symptoms, an early age of onset and
a worse prognosis.
Conclusions: Early trauma is more often found in the past of bipolar adult patients than the general population and studies
support a harmful effect of childhood trauma on the course of bipolar disease, with more anxious, depressive or psychotic symptoms,
an early age of onset and a worse prognosis. In further studies attention should be paid to the age of trauma occurrence and the
definition of trauma. The findings also support the importance of additional psychoanalytic oriented psychotherapy for the treatment
of bipolar disorder.

Keywords

early stress; early trauma; bipolar disorder; risk factor

Hrčak ID:

264871

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/264871

Publication date:

30.8.2016.

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