Study Targets Teenage Manic Depression

Researchers at University Hospitals of Cleveland and Case Western Reserve University have begun studying how to identify symptoms of manic depression in children and teenagers--and stop it from progressing.

One problem for teenagers is that manic depression is sometimes mistaken for typical teenage moodiness or other childhood emotional disorders such as hyperactivity.

“Many of the youngsters I treat with mood disorders have been told, ‘It’s just a phase,’ and they will outgrow it,” said Dr. Robert Findling, one of the researchers.

As the research progresses, children showing early signs of manic depression will receive drugs to counteract it and psychological counseling to teach them to deal with stress. A second group will get counseling and a placebo as a blind test of the medication’s effectiveness.

Dr. Graham Emslie, professor of psychiatry at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, said finding ways to discover the problem early could help prevent teenagers from heading for trouble.

Fifteen percent to 20% of manic-depressive adults commit suicide. Others can get involved in excessive behavior, including sexual promiscuity, heavy gambling and exorbitant lifestyles, Findling said.

The children of a parent with manic depression have a 40% to 50% chance of having the disorder, which afflicts 2 million Americans. The odds are greater--70% to 90%--if both parents are manic depressive.