Conclusions
The findings from the present study strongly document
an association between the presence of bipolar
disorder and the risk of developing dementia in
all study subjects, both male and female. More
importantly, patients with bipolar disorder exhibited
clinically identifiable signs of both pre-senile
and senile dementia. Further research, including
biochemical and brain imaging studies, will be warranted
to provide a better understanding of the
pathophysiology of the early process and progression
of bipolar disorder to dementia.
Acknowledgements
H-JT was supported in part by grants from the National
Health Research Institutes (PI: Tsai, PH-099-PP-56, PH-100-
PP-14, PH-101-PP-14, PH-101-SP-14). This study was based,
in part, on data from the National Health Insurance Research
Database provided by the Bureau of National Health Insurance,
Department of Health, and managed by the National
Health Research Institutes. The interpretation and conclusions
contained herein do not represent those of the Bureau of
National Health Insurance, Department of Health, or
National Health Research Institutes. We thank Tami R.
Bartell at Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago for English
editing.