A pilot pharmacotherapy trial for depressed youths at high genetic risk for bipolarity.
Children and adolescents who are the offspring of a bipolar parent and who first present with major depressive disorder (MDD) are at high risk for eventually developing bipolar disorder. In this report, the authors describe a group of 9 such high-risk children and adolescents with MDD, aged 7-16 years, who were randomized to receive treatment with either paroxetine monotherapy or combination paroxetine-divalproex sodium therapy. In the long-term management of depressive symptomatology in these patients, neither treatment appeared to be particularly effective. As a result, future treatment studies in this population appear to be warranted, not only due to the putative impending risk of developing bipolar disorder, but also the manifest risk of current depressive episodes.
Findling
Robert L
RL
Department of Psychiatry, University Hospitals Case Medical Center/Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA. robert.findling@uhhospitals.org
Lingler
Jacqui
J
Rowles
Brieana M
BM
McNamara
Nora K
NK
Calabrese
Joseph R
JR
D000293:Adolescent; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018692:Antimanic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000235:genetics*; D002648:Child; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017374:Paroxetine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012307:Risk Factors; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D018692:Antimanic Agents; D017374:Paroxetine; D014635:Valproic Acid