M. MAURI, C. BORRI, S. BANTI, M. MINIATI - Vol. 7, Giugno 2001, num.2
Testo Bibliografia Summary Riassunto Indice
Gli stabilizzanti del tono dell’umore
nel trattamento dei disturbi dello spettro bipolare
Mood stabilizers in the treatment of bipolar spectrum disorders
Mood stabilizers are still the first choice of treatment for bipolar disorders.
Lithium, carbamazepine and valproate represent the three "classic"
mood stabilizers, administered since many years in monotherapy or combined with
benzodiazepines
or antipsychotics, mainly for the treatment of manic and mixed episodes. More recently, atypical neuroleptics, namely clozapine, olanzapine and risperidone have been utilized as possible alternative choice, not only for the treatment of a manic or mixed episode but also for the continuation phase of treatment and for the prophylaxis of new episodes. Enthusiastic findings from early observations on mood stabilizers have been partially reconsidered. The boundaries of mood spectrum are continuously changing, with new implications for the administration of mood stabilizers. According to this perspective, the thorough exploration of three important areas, i.e., comorbidity, subthreshold syndromes and the presence of a wide area of psychopathology with atypical features (the so called "special populations") proved to be important.