ADHD and bipolar disorder among adolescents: nosology in question.
OBJECTIVE
the double diagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, and of bipolar disorder in its depressive or manic phase in children and adolescents is quite common. The present paper examines the clinical descriptions of both disorders, and addresses the methodological and nosological questions they raise.


METHODS
review of the literature from Medline, PsycArticles and PsycInfo data bases using the keywords "ADHD, BPD, Adolescence" as well as review of specialised reference works.


RESULTS
whereas the clinical and epidemiological communities posit the case for a bidirectional association between ADHD and BPD, more thorough analyses using both clinical and epidemiological perspectives suggest two distinct entities. Accordingly, we also discuss various theories accounting for the frequent co occurrence of these two diagnoses.


CONCLUSIONS
the double diagnosis of ADHD and BPD not only raises several hypotheses accounting for the emergence of both these syndromes in the clinical description of the same patient, but also reminds us of the limitations inherent in the nosology of mental disorders.
Université Catholique de Louvain, Cliniques de Mont-Godinne, Belgium. nicolas.zdanowicz@uclouvain.be
Nicolas
N
Zdanowicz
Anne
A
Myslinski
D000293:Adolescent; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans