title: Chronic unipolar mania. A case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bipolar disorder is a phasic mental disorder characterized by the presence of (hypo) maniac, depressive and/or mixed episodes during the course of the disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  A middle-age man, with no prior history of depressive episodes, began to suffer a picture of manic characteristics as an adolescent that has lasted for 18 years. Despite the numerous drug treatments prescribed, there has been no improvement, and the disorder has followed a torpid and chronic course.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chronic unipolar mania is a clinical entity appearing as a residual characteristic in the current psychiatric nosology. Its low prevalence makes it difficult to carry out research aimed at elucidating whether it has a subordinate or independent relationship with the bipolar disorder. A systematic assessment of the effectiveness of electroconvulsive therapy is needed in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Larga Estancia de Bétera Valencia. alvarofrias66@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Alvaro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Frías-Ibáñez
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: García-Carrera
authors.forename: Noelia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cervera-Elegido
authors.forename: Salvador
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Romero-Cervera
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male