title: [Early Detection of Bipolar Disorders: Current State of the Art and Research Approaches].
abstract: Bipolar affective disorders (BD) are severe, recurrent and disabling disorders with devastating consequences for individuals, families and the society. Although this personal burden and costs for the health system provide a compelling rationale for development of early detection and early intervention strategies in BD, the development of at-risk criteria for BD is still in an early stage of research. In this paper we review the literature of clinical data that investigate at-risk criteria. Moreover, we will discuss methodological problems associated with the definition of being at high-risk for developing bipolar disorders and show the different research approaches that deal with the investigation of at-risk criteria and appropriate intervention for BD. If prospective studies confirm the at-risk criteria for BD, then there is potential to develop preventive measures in BD with opportunities to ameliorate the severity of or even prevent BD.
authors.affiliation: Uniklinik Köln, Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Köln.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bingmann
authors.affiliation: Uniklinik Köln, Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Köln.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tecic
authors.affiliation: Uniklinik Köln, Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Köln.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bechdolf
mesh_terms: D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D012106:Research