Manic Depression More Common Among Teens
(NBC News) - A new study suggests manic depression is a more common problem for teenagers than many doctors realized.

Researchers found 20 percent of teens admitted to a psychiatric hospital tested positive for manic depression. Previous estimates showed only one percent of teens suffered from manic depression.

Researchers say knowing who is manic impacts the medications they take and helps doctors provide better overall treatment.

Manic Depression, also called bipolar disorder is characterized by dramatic mood swings from overly high to very low. There are often periods of normal mood in between but there is always an mpairment in functioning.

Researchers assessed 391 admissions to the psychiatric inpatient unit at Bradley Hospital using a rating scale called Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia. They found manic symptoms such as severe irritability, impulsively, depression and hypersexuality are frequently found in hospitalized adolescents. Twenty percent were diagnosed with juvenile bipolar disorder.

Researchers say some depression medications can aggravate bi-polar symptoms so it's important that doctors have ruled out bi-polar disorder before treating for depression.

The study was led by researchers at Brown Medical School and published in Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology.
NBC