ABSTRACT
Bipolar disorders in adolescence are of a great importance, partly because of the relapsing character of this disorder and its impact in terms of psychosocial adjustment. To study the evolution of bipolar disorders in adolescents. We conducted a descriptive and retrospective survey on 30 adolescents followed in the child and adolescent psychiatry department of Sfax for bipolar disorders diagnosed according to the DSM-IV TR criteria. The average number of the thymic episodes /year was 1.36 +/- 0.75. The average duration of the maniac episodes was 39. 75 day +/- 24.79 and that of the depressive episodes was 78.75 days +/- 43.73. The average duration of the inter critical intervals was 13.78 months +/- 11. 29. The complete remission was noted in 42.8% of the cases whereas the passage to chronicity was noticed in 3.6% of the cases. The family adaptation was satisfactory in 63.3% of the cases whereas the repercussion of the disorder on the school level was obvious. The social adaptation was non satisfactory in 53.3% of the cases. The suicide attempts were found in 10% of the cases. The findings of the present study justify an early identification of bipolar disorders in adolescents as well as the initiation of appropriate therapy. The early intervention will permit to reduce the duration and the severity of the episodes. It will also limit the deleterious impact on the life of the subject and decrease the risk of suicide, which seems to be raised when the subject is not or is badly treated