Bipolar disorder not otherwise specified

Bipolar disorders have been categorized into bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder, and bipolar disorder, not otherwise specified (NOS). Bipolar I disorder is characterized by one or more manic or mixed mood episodes. Bipolar II disorder is characterized by one or more major depressive episodes and at least one hypomanic episode. Hypomania is an abnormally and persistently elevated, expansive, or irritable mood, but not of sufficient severity to cause significant impairment in social or occupational function and does not require hospitalization. Most epidemiologic studies have looked at bipolar disorder of all types (bipolar I and bipolar II), or the bipolar spectrum, which includes all clinical conditions thought to be closely related to bipolar disorder. The lifetime prevalence of bipolar I disorder is estimated to be between 0.3% and 2.4%. The lifetime prevalence of bipolar II disorder ranges from 0.2% to 5%. When including the bipolar spectrum, the lifetime prevalence is between 3% and 6.5%.1... 

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed., text revision, classifies bipolar disorders as (1) bipolar I, (2) bipolar II, (3) cyclothymic disorder, and (4) bipolar disorder not otherwise specified. Table 69-3 defines mood disorders by type of episode. Table 69-4 describes the evaluation and diagnostic criteria for mood disorders. 

Greil, W., and Kleindienst, N. (1999b) Lithium versus carbamazepine in the maintenance treatment of bipolar II disorder and bipolar disorder not otherwise specified. Int Clin Psychopharmacol 14 283-285. 

Caution should always be exercised when diagnosing bipolar disorder not otherwise specified (NOS), because of the variety of symptoms that can be included. In clinical practice this diagnosis is generally used with clients who do not meet all of the criteria described for the bipolar disorders, yet still exhibit some of the basic symptoms evident in manic,... 

The mood disorders were once called affective disorders and are grouped into two main categories unipolar and bipolar. The unipolar depressive disorders include major depressive disorder and dysthymic disorder the bipolar disorders include bipolar 1, bipolar II, bipolar not otherwise specified, and cyclothymic disorder. Other mood disorders are substance-induced mood disorders and mood disorders due to a general medical condition. In addition, mood disturbance commonly occurs as a symptom in other psychiatric disorders including dementia, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse disorders, and schizophrenia. 

Adolescent bipolar disorder (BD) was described in the early twentieth century writings of Kraeplin, who noted a significant emergence of BD at puberty (Kraeplin, 1921). It is only within the past decade, however, that adolescent-onset BD has begun to receive significant research attention. Studies estimate the prevalence of bipolar spectrum disorders (e.g., bipolar I, bipolar II, bipolar not otherwise specified) as being 1% in adolescents (Lewinsohn et ah, 1995). In addition, it is estimated that 20%-40% of adults with BD experi-... 

A typical example of diagnostic splintering provides the group of mood disorders. One reads about major depression, minor depression, double depression, dysthymia, unipolar and bipolar depression, depressive personality, depression not otherwise specified, brief recurrent depression, subsyndromal symptomatic depression, mixed anxiety depression disorder, seasonal depression, and adjustment disorder with depressive mood. 

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