Mania: Epidemiology and Risk Factors

Recent research on the manic phase of bipolar affective disorder, or mania, has focused on both the epidemiology and risk factors for this illness in the elderly. Studies on the epidemiology of mania in the elderly support the concept of distinguishing late-onset bipolar disorder and early-onset bipolar disorder as clinically relevant sub-types. Elderly bipolar patients with late-onset are more likely to have vascular risk factors and cerebrovascular and neurologic disease than elderly bipolar patients with early-onset illness. A wide range of medical conditions and pharmacologic agents have been associated with secondary mania in the elderly.