Age, manic psychopathology and treatment response

The authors describe relationships between age and ratings of signs and symptoms in 40 manic inpatients. Soon after admission, some psychopathologic features were less prominent in older patients. In older patients, after two weeks of treatment with lithium and neuroleptics, there was greater residual total psychopathology, higher ratings of some clinical features, and less change in total psychopathology and some clinical features. Older patients were hospitalized longer. Ageing may alter manic psychopathology and treatment response. The authors emphasize the need for prospective studies that include geriatric patients.