title: Psychopathology in the offspring of parents with bipolar disorder: a controlled study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To examine the risk for psychopathology in offspring at risk for bipolar disorder and the course of psychiatric disorders in these youth.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using structured diagnostic interviews (Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV [SCID] and Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia [K-SADS]), psychiatric diagnoses of 117 nonreferred offspring of parents with diagnosed bipolar disorder were compared with those of 171 age- and gender-matched offspring of parents without bipolar disorder or major depression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with offspring of parents without mood disorders, high-risk youth had elevated rates of major depression and bipolar disorder, anxiety, and disruptive behavior disorders. High-risk offspring also had significantly more impaired Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scores, higher rates of psychiatric treatment, and higher rates of placement in special education classes. Disruptive behavior disorders, separation anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social phobia, and depression tended to have their onset in early or middle childhood, whereas bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, and substance use disorder had onset most frequently in adolescence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings support the hypothesis that offspring of parents with bipolar disorder are at significantly increased risk for developing a wide range of severe psychiatric disorders and accompanying dysfunction. Early disruptive behavior and anxiety disorders, as well as early-onset depression, may be useful markers of risk for subsequent bipolar disorder in high-risk samples.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Psychopharmacology Unit and Harvard Bipolar Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02138, USA. ahenin@partners.org
authors.forename: Aude
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Henin
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Biederman
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mick
authors.forename: Gary S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Sachs
authors.forename: Dina R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Hirshfeld-Becker
authors.forename: Rebecca S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Siegel
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McMurrich
authors.forename: Louisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grandin
authors.forename: Andrew A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Nierenberg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011599:Psychopathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012919:Social Behavior