Genetic Findings and Methodological Considerations in Manic Depressive Disease

Abstract

Primary affective disorder is defined as an illness which is characterized by depressions or manias or both. This illness is seen in an individual who has no history of any preexisting psychiatric illness except for uncomplicated episodes of depression or mania. Clinically there are two types of primary affective disorder. The first is manic depressive disease (bipolar psychosis) which may be considered as a primary affective disorder in which mania is seen; usually, but not always, depression is also seen in this kind of patient. The other type may be called depressive disease; a synonym that might be used is unipolar psychosis; here only depressive episodes are seen (one or more episodes). In addition to the difference in the clinical picture, considerable genetic data exist which indicate that the two illnesses are quite distinct from each other.