A family history of psychiatric disorders and negative life stressors are associated with earlier and later onset of bipolar disorder, respectively, according to Dr. C.S. Thesing of the department of old age psychiatry, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam.
In a study of 78 patients aged 60 years or older, a family history of psychiatric disorders was significantly associated with early age of illness onset (P less than .01), while negative stressors were associated with a later age of onset (P less than .05). Childhood abuse was not associated with either age of onset or the presence or absence of a family history of psychiatric disorders, reported Dr. Thesing and coauthors.
“Further research should be aimed at exploring both the biological and environmental aspects of [bipolar disorder] together,” the researchers wrote. “Later age at onset was associated with negative stressors prior to the first episode, possibly requiring a clinical emphasis on preventing stressors and/or strengthening patients in their abilities to deal with stressors to prevent new affective episodes,” they concluded.
Read the full study in Journal of Affective Disorders.