A comparison of outcome in adolescent- and later-onset bipolar manic- depressive illness

The authors hypothesized that childhood-and adolescent-onset bipolar manic-depressive patients might have a more severe or a different type of affective disorder; early-onset patients were therefore compared with patients whose illness onset was after the age of 45. The results indicate that early age of onset is not a factor in the variable course and prognosis of manic-depressive illness.