Course of the Manic-Depressive Cycle and Changes Caused by Treatments

The course of 434 bipolar patients (256 women, 178 men) was studied longitudinally. The prevailing patterns of the manic-depressive cycles at the end of the observation time were: mania followed by depression (usually mild), 28%; depression followed by mania (usually hypomania), 25%; and continuous circular course, with long cycles, 19%, or with short (rapid) cycles, 20%. The cycles followed an irregular pattern in 8% of the patients.