title: Life events and affective disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To summarize research in life events and affective disorders
  
  
  METHODS
  Review of the literature.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Many studies have shown that episodes of unipolar depression are preceded by life events at higher rates than in control samples. A variety of stressful events are involved with only limited specificity but some relationship to social exit events. Life events also affect remission and relapse of depression. Effects of life events are less when the disorder has already been recurrent, particularly where illness is severe. Effects of life events are also weaker in bipolar disorder than unipolar, but major life events may be important in first onset. Recent evidence suggests a specific role of social rhythm disruption events in manic relapses. Causative chains are multifactorial and complex, and genetic factors can influence life event exposure.
authors.affiliation: University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Paykel
mesh_terms: D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D012008:Recurrence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013315:Stress, Psychological