Mania in the elderly

ABSTRACT

In a retrospective study of 102 patients admitted with mania aged over 55 years, it was found that 43.3% had no prior history of affective illness 35.2% had previously experienced only depression, and one-third of later had at least three episodes of depression before the first manic illness. Patients with a family history of affective disorder had a significantly earlier age of onset of illness. There was evidence of cerebral organic impairment in 21.5% of the patients, and this group had an onset of illness significantly at a later age. prognosis was good, with only 8% still in hospital at six months. Half of the Patients were started on lithium prophylaxis, but this did not significantly alter the number of readmissions. A quarter of those started on lithium developed evidence of lithium toxicity