The distinction of bipolar II disorder from bipolar I and recurrent unipolar depression: results of a controlled family study

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Abstract
The aim of the study was to differentiate bipolar II, bipolar I and recurrent unipolar depression by their familial load for affective disorders. Eighty bipolar, 108 unipolar, 80 control subjects and interviewed first‐degree relatives were diagnosed according to Research Diagnostic Criteria using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia – lifetime version. The morbid risks for bipolar I disorder were equivalent in relatives of bipolar I (3.6%) and bipolar II (3.5%) subjects and lower in relatives of unipolar subjects (1.0%). The morbid risks of relatives for bipolar II disorder distinguished bipolar II subjects (6.1%) from bipolar I subjects (1.8%), from unipolar depressives (0.3%) and from controls (0.5%). To promote further evaluation, bipolar II disorder should be included in DSM‐IV as a distinct diagnostic category.

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