Early detection and intervention for young people with emerging bipolar disorder: What is the state of affairs?

Bipolar disorder (BD) is one of the most disabling chronic illness for which the delay in diagnosis and access to adequate care is about 10 years, with many consequences such as numerous comorbidities, greater illness severity and resistance to treatments. Building on advances in early intervention in psychosis, optimizing the detection of patients with BD and intervening early is essential to improve their prognosis. Identifying risk factors for BD would allow earlier detection of the target population with the aims of: (1) preventing the development of the disease, (2) delaying its onset and (3) improving the course through more timely treatment. We conducted a narrative review of the literature of the past 30 years on risk factors of BD and synthetising the concepts of at-risk of BD mental state, the staging model and associated interventions. These concepts are illustrated by a clinical case with and without early intervention highlighting the challenges of early intervention in BD and the scientific data currently available of use to the clinician (both general practitioners and psychiatrist). In addition to genetic and environmental risk factors (early trauma, substance use, etc.), vulnerability markers (cyclothymic or hyperthymic temperament, cluster B personality disorder) can guide the clinician towards the detection of at risk of BD mental state syndrome consisting of attenuated symptoms of hypomania, mood lability, early depressive episode with psychotic, severe or atypical characteristics. The delay in access to care attributable to the absence of help-seeking, to self-stigmatization, or to unrecognized diagnoses (misdiagnosis with personality disorders or substance use disorders) weighs down the prognosis leading, as episodes cumulate over time, to incomplete remission of episodes with residual symptoms and significant functional decline. The use of validated tools and careful coordination of the various actors are assets for the early identification of subjects at-risk of transition to BD. Following the staging model, targeted primary prevention interventions (e.g., promotion of good sleep hygiene, stress management strategies) for at-risk individuals should be offered by general practitioner or other front-line mental health professionals (e.g., psychologist, nurse); early secondary prevention (for stage 1) should be provided by general psychiatric or general medicine services. Although no official guidelines for early intervention for BD are available yet, experts opinions are multiplying and supporting an integrated approach that maximizes young patient engagement. These integrated approaches aiming at symptomatic and functional improvement combine effective psychopharmacology and psychosocial interventions, including cognitive- behavioral therapy, approaches based on social rhythm, psychoeducation, relapse prevention, social and vocational recovery and family interventions. The scarcity of studies on the early stages of bipolar disorder limits the predictive value of risk factors and at-risk syndromes which remain to be validated. Prospective controlled studies are warranted to improve the prevention efforts and effective early treatment of bipolar disorder. (C) 2021 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Bipolar disorder is a disabling chronic illness with a delay in diagnosis and access to adequate care, resulting in many consequences. Early detection and intervention are essential to improve prognosis, with the identification of risk factors for BD aiming to prevent disease development, delay onset, and improve course through timely treatment. Validated tools and coordinated efforts are assets for early identification of at-risk individuals, with targeted primary prevention interventions offered by frontline mental health professionals and early secondary prevention provided by general psychiatric or general medicine services.