Korean J Psychopharmacol.  2009 Sep;20(5):231-236.

Bipolar Diathesis in Patients with Treatment-Resistant Depression

• Woo YS
• Bahk WM

Abstract

Despite the availability of numerous options for the treatment of depression, treatment-resistant depression remains common. Several patient-related and treatment-related risk factors have been identified as increasing the likelihood of nonresponsiveness to antidepressant treatment including psychiatric and physical comorbidity, the chronic subtype of depression, and treatment nonadherence. Evidence linking many cases of treatment-resistant depression with a diathesis to bipolar disorder has also emerged. This article reviews the current literature regarding the relevance of bipolarity to treatment-resistant depression, with particular attention to the prevalence of bipolarity in treatment-resistant depression.

Keyword

Treatment-resistant depression; Bipolarity; Bipolar spectrum disorder

MeSH Terms

Bipolar Disorder
Comorbidity
Depression
Disease Susceptibility
Humans
Prevalence
Risk Factors