2. Prodromes in bipolar disorder
2. 1. Definitions
The word prodromecomes from the Greek word “prodromos” which indicates the forerunner of an event. In medicine, prodromes are defined as the early signs and symptoms that herald a full episode. Molnar, Feeney, and Fava (1988) defined the termprodromes generally as the interval from the time thatthe first symptoms were recognised to the time when the symptoms reached maximum severity. Lam andWong (1997) defined bipolar prodromes as any cognitivebehavioral and affective signs or symptomsthat may make patients think they are entering an early stage of an episode. In the mental health arena, itis often used pragmatically as a short-hand for the early warnings that patients may he at the early stagesof an episode. The presentation of such first prodromal symptoms can be idiosyncratic and is probablythe result of a complex mixture of biology, psychological makeup and past experiences. Thus,prodromes can be strikingly different to a full blown episode or can be similar to the full blown episodebut of less intense quality.