Seventeen patients meeting DSM-IV (21)criteria
for bipolar disorder constituted the clinical group
in the study. All were outpatients receiving treatment
by hospitals in the north of England served
by the Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland
Mental Health NHS Trust. A Structured
Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID)was completed
for each patient by a qualified psychiatrist to
confirm diagnosis. Fourteen patients fulfilled
DSM-IV criteria for bipolar I disorder, while three
fulfilled the criteria for bipolar II disorder. Nine of
the patients were classified as rapid cycling on the
basis that they experience at least four episodes per
year. None of the patients had any other psychiatric
co-morbidity.
In accordance with other