title: Bipolar disorder not otherwise specified: comparison with bipolar disorder I/II and major depression.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the personality, clinical and comorbidity characteristics of subjects meeting diagnostic criteria for bipolar disorder not otherwise specified (BDNOS) to those with major depression and bipolar I or II disorder.
  
  
  METHODS
  A family-based study was undertaken on the molecular genetics of depression and personality, in which the proband had been treated for depression, regardless of history, of hypomania or mania.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 25 subjects with BDNOS were different to the 297 subjects with major depression and similar to 75 subjects with bipolar I or II disorder on social phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder and substance dependence comorbidity. The BDNOS subjects also had personality traits more akin to the bipolar I or II disorder subjects, especially borderline personality traits and self transcendence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Subjects with BDNOS, based on a history of 1-3 day recurrent hypomanias, should be included within a broader bipolar spectrum.
authors.affiliation: University of Otago Christchurch, Christchurch, New Zealand. peter.joyce@chmeds.ac.nz
authors.forename: Peter R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Joyce
authors.forename: Katrina J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Light
authors.forename: Sarah L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Rowe
authors.forename: Martin A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kennedy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000145:classification* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology