Minor physical anomalies in affective disorders. A review of the literature.
BACKGROUND
The increased frequency of MPAs may be external markers of abnormal brain development in affective disorders.


METHODS
A MEDLINE, psychInfo and Web of Science search was evaluated to collect all publications on the prevalence of minor physical anomalies in bipolar affective disorder and unipolar major depression.


OBJECTIVE
As reports on the prevalence of MPAs in affective disorders were controversial, were based on highly different number of patients and were evaluated by the use of scales with different sensitivities, we considered as important to review the current state of knowledge and to recommend directions to further research.


RESULTS
14 publications on 12 studies were found after a careful literature search. 5 studies have dealt with the prevalence of MPAs in bipolar affective disorder, 3 have reported on examinations among patients with unipolar major depression, while 5 publications on 3 studies combined patients with bipolar affective disorder, schizoaffective disorder and unipolar major depression. 1 study was published on the prevalence of MPAs among mood disorders, without the differentiation of the data of patients with bipolar affective disorder and unipolar major depression.


CONCLUSIONS
Few studies with relatively small size were published, there is no data on the distinction between bipolar I and bipolar II disorders.


CONCLUSIONS
The reviewed data suggest a higher probability of the role of an aberrant neurodevelopment in bipolar affective disorder and a smaller in unipolar major depression.
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Pécs, Hungary. tamas.tenyi@aok.pte.hu
Tamás
T
Tényi
Mátyás
M
Trixler
Györgyi
G
Csábi
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D035061:Control Groups; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010808:Physical Examination; D015995:Prevalence
D015415:Biomarkers