Comorbidity of bipolar and anxiety disorders: An overview of trends in research

Abstract

Over the last three decades burgeoning research has shown that anxiety disorder comorbidity is not only highly prevalent in bipolar disorder (BD), but it also adversely impacts the course, outcome, and treatment of BD. The present review provides an overview of the current trends in research on comorbid anxiety and BDs based on prior reviews and meta-analyses (n = 103), epidemiological surveys, and large-scale clinical studies. The results reiterated the fact that at least half of those with BD are likely to develop an anxiety disorder in their lifetimes and a third of them will manifest an anxiety disorder at any point of time. All types of anxiety disorders were equally common in BD. However, there was a wide variation in rates across different sources, with most of this discrepancy being accounted for by methodological differences between reports. Comorbid anxiety disorders negatively impacted the presentation and course of BD. This unfavourable clinical profile led to poorer outcome and functioning and impeded treatment of BD. Despite the extensive body of research there was paucity of data on aetiology and treatment of anxiety disorder comorbidity in BD. Nevertheless, the substantial burden and unique characteristics of this comorbidity has important clinical and research implications.

COVID-19 lockdown in people with severe mental disorders in Spain: Do they have a specific psychological reaction compared with other mental disorders and healthy controls?

“…These findings are consistent with previous studies from the SARS epidemic, which reported higher levels of anxiety in inpatients with schizophrenia compared with the staff ( Iancu et al, 2005 ), but this reaction was not more severe than in people with other common mental disorders in our sample. The existing literature found that anxiety, a frequent yet often neglected comorbidity in SMD ( Buonocore et al, 2018 ), could lead to a worse prognosis in both BD ( Corry et al, 2013 ; Spoorthy et al, 2019 ) and schizophrenia ( Braga et al, 2013 ). While other people may be able to develop functional coping strategies to face this emotional reaction, anxiety could determine unfavorable outcomes in the vulnerable population with SMD, such as triggering a relapse ( Druss, 2020 ).…”

Toward Neurosubtypes in Autism

“…Unlike other psychiatric disorders characterized by a spectrum of symptom severity and shared variance (e.g., schizophrenia, mood, and anxiety; 13,14), individual variation in ASD goes beyond core diagnostic symptoms (i.e., impairment in social communicative skills, restricted/repetitive behaviors/interests) and associated psychopathology (15,16). In particular, ASD is often complicated by accompanying heterogeneity in the type of onset (9), language skills (17, 18), intellectual abilities (19), and medical conditions (20).…”

Towards Neurosubtypes in Autism

“…Unlike other psychiatric disorders characterized by a spectrum of symptom severity and shared variance (e.g., schizophrenia, mood, and anxiety; 13,14), individual variation in ASD goes beyond core diagnostic symptoms (i.e., impairment in social communicative skills, restricted/repetitive behaviors/interests) and associated psychopathology (15,16). In particular, ASD is often complicated by accompanying heterogeneity in the type of onset (9), language skills (17, 18), intellectual abilities (19), and medical conditions (20).…”