ABSTRACT
The diagnosis of manic-depressive psychosis in mentally handicapped people can be easily overlooked, partly because its presentation differs from that in people with normal intelligence. This report illustrates some of the difficulties involved in making the diagnosis of manic-depressive psychosis in a mentally handicapped person and in planning for her future care.
Subject(s)
Bipolar Disorder/complications , Intellectual Disability/complications , Bipolar Disorder/diagnosis , Bipolar Disorder/drug therapy , Female , Humans , Lithium/therapeutic use , Lithium Carbonate , Middle AgedABSTRACT
A retrospective case-notes study of 252 patients was undertaken, to focus on their birth order, and other aspects of their sibships. There is little evidence of a relationship to birth order using an established measure (Slater, 1962). Previous researchers have found a preponderance of female siblings in the families of patients with anorexia nervosa. We have not found this, neither is our sample characterised by older or younger siblings of any one sex. This is true for both female and male anorexics. These results are discussed in terms of experimental and family theories concerning the development of anorexia nervosa.