Childhood maltreatment and the medical morbidity in bipolar disorder: a case–control study

BackgroundMany studies have addressed the question of whether mental disorder is associated with creativity, but high-quality epidemiological evidence has been lacking.AimsTo test for an association between studying a creative subject at high school or university and later mental disorder.MethodIn a case–control study using linked population-based registries in Sweden (N = 4 454 763), we tested for associations between tertiary education in an artistic field and hospital admission with schizophrenia (N = 20 333), bipolar disorder (N = 28 293) or unipolar depression (N = 148 365).ResultsCompared with the general population, individuals with an artistic education had increased odds of developing schizophrenia (odds ratio = 1.90, 95% CI = [1.69; 2.12]) bipolar disorder (odds ratio = 1.62 [1.50; 1.75]) and unipolar depression (odds ratio = 1.39 [1.34; 1.44]. The results remained after adjustment for IQ and other potential confounders.ConclusionsStudents of artistic subjects at university are at increased risk of developing schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and unipolar depression in adulthood.Declaration of interestNone.

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Bone health in bipolar disorder: a study protocol for a case–control study in Australia

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2019-032821 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. e032821

Author(s):

Lana J Williams ◽

Amanda L Stuart ◽

Michael Berk ◽

Sharon L Brennan-Olsen ◽

Jason M Hodge ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bipolar Disorder ◽

Bone Health ◽

Rating Scales ◽

Case Control Study ◽

Bone Fragility ◽

Case Control ◽

Mental Illnesses ◽

Eastern Australia ◽

Geelong Osteoporosis Study ◽

Control Study

IntroductionLittle is known about the bone health of adults with bipolar disorder, aside from evidence purporting bone deficits among individuals with other mental illnesses, or those taking medications commonly used in bipolar disorder. In this paper, we present the methodology of a case–control study which aims to examine the role of bipolar disorder as a risk factor for bone fragility.Methods and analysisMen and women with bipolar disorder (~200 cases) will be recruited and compared with participants with no history of bipolar disorder (~1500 controls) from the Geelong Osteoporosis Study. Both cases and controls will be drawn from the Barwon Statistical Division, south-eastern Australia. The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR Research Version, Non-patient edition is the primary diagnostic instrument, and psychiatric symptomatology will be assessed using validated rating scales. Demographic information and detailed lifestyle data and medical history will be collected via comprehensive questionnaires. Participants will undergo dual energy X-ray absorptiometry scans and other clinical measures to determine bone and body composition. Blood samples will be provided after an overnight fast and stored for batch analysis.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval has been granted from Barwon Health Research Ethics Committee. Participation in the study is voluntary. The study findings will be disseminated via peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and reports to the funding body.

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